Drive or Fly: Fresno, CA to Alturas, 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 FAT–RDD. At 469 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

9h 6m

Distance

469.2 mi

Total Cost

$139

CO2

190 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$104

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

5h 40m

40m in the air

Air Distance

330 mi

Total Cost

$188

CO2

84 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fresno, CA → FAT 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 40m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDD → Alturas, CA 170m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $133) $133

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Fresno, CA FAT — Fresno Yosemite International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 3h 26m 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	9h 6m	5h 40m
Total cost (1 person)	$139	$188
Carbon footprint	190 kg CO₂	84 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 18, 2026.

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