Drive or Fly: Alturas, CA to San Diego, CA?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No direct flights for RDD–SAN. Driving is the practical choice at this distance.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

14h 31m

Distance

726.6 mi

Total Cost

$340

CO2

294 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$160

Hotel (1 room, 1 night) $110

Meals (1 pax, 2 days) $70

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

− Requires 2 days of driving

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

6h 16m

1h 16m in the air

Air Distance

634 mi

Total Cost

$286

CO2

162 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alturas, CA → RDD 170m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 76m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SAN → San Diego, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $231) $231

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Alturas, CA RDD — Redding Municipal Airport 114 mi, ~170m drive

San Diego, CA SAN — San Diego International Airport 2 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RDD and SAN. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 8h 15m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	14h 31m	6h 16m
Total cost (1 person)	$340	$286
Carbon footprint	294 kg CO₂	162 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Apr 14, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Alturas, CA to San Diego, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.