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Is it cheaper to fly or drive a Tesla from Des Moines, IA to San Francisco, CA?

Fly it. 1,796 mi is more road than this trip is worth.

Des Moines, IA to San Francisco, CA is 1,796 mi by road — 30h 22m of driving and 10 Supercharger stops — against 6h 44m door to door by air. Flying is the better call: the flight costs $376 against $553 to drive, and it saves 23h 39m of travel. On the 0-100 stress scale the drive scores 98 and the flight 69.

Priced with fast charging at $0.36 per kWh and 3.7 miles per kWh, airfare from a $95 base plus $0.13 a mile per person, one $35 bag and a $30 ride at each end. Airfare is modelled from flight distance, not a live fare quote, so treat it as a typical fare rather than today's price. Rates last reviewed 14 September 2026; this trip last priced 13 September 2026.