Drive or Fly: Burney, CA to San Jose, CA?

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

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for RDD–SJC. At 296 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 43m

Distance

296.2 mi

Total Cost

$101

CO2

120 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$66

Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0

Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Comfortable one-day drive

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 42m

29m in the air

Air Distance

245 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

63 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Burney, CA → RDD 63m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 29m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SJC → San Jose, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Burney, CA RDD — Redding Municipal Airport 42 mi, ~63m drive

San Jose, CA SJC — Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 1m 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

11h 18m

9h 29m on rail

Total Cost

$54

CO2

16 kg

Route

Coast Starlight

Door-to-Door Timeline

Burney, CA → Dunsmuir Amtrak Station 59m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 569m

Arrival 10m

San Jose → San Jose, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $54) $54

Estimated based on distance. Check amtrak.com for current prices.

Stations

From Dunsmuir Amtrak Station 39 mi, ~59m drive

To San Jose 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	5h 43m	3h 42m	11h 18m
Total cost (1 person)	$101	$185	$54
Carbon footprint	120 kg CO₂	63 kg CO₂	16 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

Transit: Amtrak GTFS — fares estimated

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 15, 2026.

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