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Drive or Fly: Irvine, CA to San Pablo, 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 SNA–CCR. At 426 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 55m

Distance

426.8 mi

Total Cost

$129

CO2

172 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$94
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

3h 21m

47m in the air

Air Distance

390 mi

Total Cost

$191

CO2

99 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Irvine, CA → SNA 10m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 47m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
CCR → San Pablo, CA 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $136) $136
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Irvine, CA SNA — John Wayne Orange County International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive
San Pablo, CA CCR — Buchanan Field 16 mi, ~24m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 4h 34m 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 7h 55m 3h 21m
Total cost (1 person) $129 $191
Carbon footprint 172 kg CO2 99 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest
426.8 mi 7h 55m

via I 5, I 580, I 5 Truck

Alternative (+55 min)
458.3 mi 8h 50m

via US 101, I 5, I 880

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