Drive or Fly: Richmond, CA to Laguna, 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 CCR–SMF. At 84 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 42m

Distance

84 mi

Total Cost

$54

CO2

34 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$19

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 3m

7m in the air

Air Distance

60 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

15 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Richmond, CA → CCR 24m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SMF → Laguna, CA 32m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Richmond, CA CCR — Buchanan Field 16 mi, ~24m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CCR 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	1h 42m	3h 3m
Total cost (1 person)	$54	$122
Carbon footprint	34 kg CO₂	15 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 Richmond, CA to Laguna, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.