Drive or Fly: Laguna, CA to Del Rio, 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–SCK. At 62 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 20m

Distance

62.7 mi

Total Cost

$49

CO2

25 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$14

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 2m

6m in the air

Air Distance

52 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

13 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Laguna, CA → SMF 32m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SCK → Del Rio, CA 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Laguna, CA SMF — Sacramento International Airport 21 mi, ~32m drive

Del Rio, CA SCK — Stockton Metropolitan Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SMF and SCK. 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 8m

47m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Laguna, CA → Elk Grove Amtrak Bus Stop 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 47m

Arrival 10m

Stockton → Del Rio, CA 31m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From Elk Grove Amtrak Bus Stop 3 mi, ~10m drive

To Stockton 20 mi, ~31m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~9/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

− Limited schedule — about 9 trips per week

− 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 20m	3h 2m	2h 8m
Total cost (1 person)	$49	$122	$7
Carbon footprint	25 kg CO₂	13 kg CO₂	2 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

62.7 mi 1h 20m

via CA 99, CA 219

Alternative (+8 min)

68.3 mi 1h 28m

via I 5, CA 4, CA 99

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