Drive or Fly: Mariposa, CA to Sacramento, 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 MCE–SMF. At 150 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 6m

Distance

150.3 mi

Total Cost

$69

CO2

61 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$34

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 18m

14m in the air

Air Distance

113 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

29 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mariposa, CA → MCE 50m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SMF → Sacramento, CA 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Mariposa, CA MCE — Merced Regional Macready Field 33 mi, ~50m drive

Sacramento, CA SMF — Sacramento International Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MCE and SMF. 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	3h 6m	3h 18m
Total cost (1 person)	$69	$125
Carbon footprint	61 kg CO₂	29 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

150.3 mi 3h 6m

via CA 99; CA 59; CA 140, CA 99, CA 49

Shortest (+26 min)

140 mi 3h 32m

via CA 49, CA 16, CA 49; CA 120

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