Checked 3×
Is it cheaper to fly or drive a Tesla from Des Moines, IA to San Francisco, CA?
Book the flightFlying is cheaper by
$176
In the car
30h 34m
Flying is calmer by
29%
Car 98 · Flight 70
1,796 mi by road
6h 57m by air, only 3h 41m of it flying. 1 in 5 run late.
How this was priced
Des Moines, IA to San Francisco, CA is 1,796 mi by road — 30h 34m of driving and 10 Supercharger stops — against 6h 57m door to door by air. Flying is the better call: the flight costs $445 against $621 to drive, and it saves 23h 37m of travel. On the 0-100 stress scale the drive scores 98 and the flight 70.
Priced with fast charging at $0.50 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 17 October 2026.
Checking the route…
Check this yourself
- Distance and drive time come from live road routing, not straight lines.
- Every rate used is listed on Cost analysis and sourced on Sources.
- This trip as raw data: des-moines-ia-to-san-francisco-ca.json
- Last recalculated 2026-10-17 · checked 3×. Costs are modelled estimates, not quotes.
Questions about this trip
Is it cheaper to drive a Tesla or fly from Des Moines, IA to San Francisco, CA?
Driving costs about $621 and flying about $445, so flying is cheaper by $176. The drive counts charging and a hotel night if it takes more than a day. The flight counts fares, bags, airport food on long flights and the rides at both ends.
How long does each take, door to door?
The drive is about 30h 34m including 10 Supercharger stops. Flying is about 6h 57m, counting the trip to the airport, security, the flight and getting to your destination.
How many Supercharger stops will I need?
About 10 Supercharger stops for 1,796 mi, assuming you leave full and charge to roughly 80% at each stop. Real range drops in cold weather, rain and at high speed.
How accurate are these numbers?
They're modelled estimates, not quotes. Airfares change daily, so check a real fare before booking. This trip was last priced 17 October 2026. Every rate and where it comes from is on the Sources page.