Drive or Fly: Nevada City, CA to Peardale, 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 TKF–SMF. At 6 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

10m

Distance

6.3 mi

Total Cost

$36

CO2

3 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$1

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 22m

1m in the air

Air Distance

5 mi

Total Cost

$120

CO2

1 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Nevada City, CA → TKF 71m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 1m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SMF → Peardale, CA 70m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $120) $120

Airports

Nevada City, CA TKF — Truckee Tahoe Airport 47 mi, ~71m drive

Peardale, CA SMF — Sacramento International Airport 47 mi, ~70m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TKF 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	10m	4h 22m
Total cost (1 person)	$36	$120
Carbon footprint	3 kg CO₂	1 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

6.3 mi 10m

via Brunswick Road

Alternative (+2 min)

8.1 mi 12m

via CA 174, CA 20; CA 49

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