Drive or Fly: Sacramento, CA to Gerber, 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–RDD. At 125 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 22m

Distance

125.5 mi

Total Cost

$63

CO2

51 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$28

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 15m

13m in the air

Air Distance

108 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

27 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sacramento, CA → SMF 14m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDD → Gerber, CA 48m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

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

Gerber, CA RDD — Redding Municipal Airport 32 mi, ~48m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SMF and RDD. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 17m

2h on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Route

FlixBus N2111

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sacramento, CA → Sacramento (Old Sacramento 2nd St/J St) (0SI) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 120m

Arrival 10m

Chico Bus Station (CHO6) → Gerber, CA 42m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From 0SI — Sacramento (Old Sacramento 2nd St/J St) 1 mi, ~10m drive

To CHO6 — Chico Bus Station 28 mi, ~42m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 22m	3h 15m	3h 17m
Total cost (1 person)	$63	$124	$9
Carbon footprint	51 kg CO₂	27 kg CO₂	5 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: FlixBus 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 16, 2026.

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