Drive or Fly: Cottonwood, CA to Oakland, 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 SMF–OAK. At 70 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 29m

Distance

70.8 mi

Total Cost

$51

CO2

29 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$16

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 48m

7m in the air

Air Distance

61 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cottonwood, CA → SMF 31m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

OAK → Oakland, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Cottonwood, CA SMF — Sacramento International Airport 21 mi, ~31m drive

Oakland, CA OAK — San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SMF and OAK. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

2h 50m

1h 38m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

3 kg

Route

Capitol Corridor

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cottonwood, CA → Davis 22m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 98m

Arrival 10m

Oakland → Oakland, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From Davis 15 mi, ~22m drive

To Oakland 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~78/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

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	1h 29m	2h 48m	2h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$51	$122	$12
Carbon footprint	29 kg CO₂	16 kg CO₂	3 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 12, 2026.

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