Drive or Fly: Danville, CA to Irvine, 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 CCR–SNA. At 396 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 21m

Distance

396.6 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

160 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$88

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 12m

44m in the air

Air Distance

370 mi

Total Cost

$190

CO2

94 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Danville, CA → CCR 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 44m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SNA → Irvine, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $135) $135

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Danville, CA CCR — Buchanan Field 12 mi, ~18m drive

Irvine, CA SNA — John Wayne Orange County International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CCR and SNA. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 4h 9m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

11h 2m

10h 10m on road

Total Cost

$40

CO2

21 kg

Route

Greyhound US0831

Door-to-Door Timeline

Danville, CA → Hayward Bus Station (UHW) 17m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 610m

Arrival 10m

Santa Ana Bus Stop (SAN6) → Irvine, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $40) $40

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

Stations

From UHW — Hayward Bus Station 11 mi, ~17m drive

To SAN6 — Santa Ana Bus Stop 6 mi, ~10m 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	7h 21m	3h 12m	11h 2m
Total cost (1 person)	$123	$190	$40
Carbon footprint	160 kg CO₂	94 kg CO₂	21 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 15, 2026.

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