Drive or Fly: McCloud, CA to San Diego, CA?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No direct flights for RDD–SAN. Driving is the practical choice at this distance.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

13h 37m

Distance

731.2 mi

Total Cost

$342

CO2

295 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$162

Hotel (1 room, 1 night) $110

Meals (1 pax, 2 days) $70

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

− Requires 2 days of driving

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

4h 46m

1h 18m in the air

Air Distance

651 mi

Total Cost

$287

CO2

166 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

McCloud, CA → RDD 78m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 78m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SAN → San Diego, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $232) $232

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

McCloud, CA RDD — Redding Municipal Airport 52 mi, ~78m drive

San Diego, CA SAN — San Diego International Airport 2 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 8h 51m 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	13h 37m	4h 46m
Total cost (1 person)	$342	$287
Carbon footprint	295 kg CO₂	166 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 12, 2026.

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