Drive or Fly: Gold Beach, OR to Hillsboro, OR?

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 CEC–PDX. At 285 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

6h 57m

Distance

285.9 mi

Total Cost

$99

CO2

116 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$64
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

4h 3m

27m in the air

Air Distance

227 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

58 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gold Beach, OR → CEC 67m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 27m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
PDX → Hillsboro, OR 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Gold Beach, OR CEC — Jack Mc Namara Field Airport 44 mi, ~67m drive
Hillsboro, OR PDX — Portland International Airport 20 mi, ~29m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CEC and PDX. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 54m 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

6h 22m

4h 10m on road

Total Cost

$24

CO2

13 kg

Route

Greyhound US0500

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gold Beach, OR → Grants Pass (A-1 Market) (GSP6) 84m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 250m
Arrival 10m
Portland Curbside Bus Stop (PUT6) → Hillsboro, OR 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $24) $24

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

Stations

From GSP6 — Grants Pass (A-1 Market) 56 mi, ~84m drive
To PUT6 — Portland Curbside Bus Stop 15 mi, ~23m 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 6h 57m 4h 3m 6h 22m
Total cost (1 person) $99 $184 $24
Carbon footprint 116 kg CO2 58 kg CO2 13 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 Gold Beach, OR to Hillsboro, OR with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.