Drive or Fly: Central Valley (historical), CA to Sacramento, 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–SMF. At 167 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 5m

Distance

167.8 mi

Total Cost

$72

CO2

68 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$37

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

2h 51m

18m in the air

Air Distance

152 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

39 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Central Valley (historical), CA → RDD 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SMF → Sacramento, CA 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Central Valley (historical), CA RDD — Redding Municipal Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

Sacramento, CA SMF — Sacramento International Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 55m

3h 30m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

10 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Central Valley (historical), CA → Redding Bus Station (RDG6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 210m

Arrival 10m

Sacramento (Old Sacramento 2nd St/J St) (0SI) → Sacramento, CA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From RDG6 — Redding Bus Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To 0SI — Sacramento (Old Sacramento 2nd St/J St) 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 5m	2h 51m	4h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$72	$126	$16
Carbon footprint	68 kg CO₂	39 kg CO₂	10 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: FlixBus 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Central Valley (historical), CA to Sacramento, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.