Drive or Fly: Sacramento, CA to Hayfork, 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 222 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 16m

Distance

222.2 mi

Total Cost

$84

CO2

90 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$49

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 44m

20m in the air

Air Distance

163 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

42 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sacramento, CA → SMF 14m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDD → Hayfork, CA 70m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Hayfork, CA RDD — Redding Municipal Airport 47 mi, ~70m 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 2m

3h 25m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

8 kg

Route

FlixBus N2111

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 205m

Arrival 10m

Redding Bus Station (RDG6) → Hayfork, CA 62m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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 RDG6 — Redding Bus Station 42 mi, ~62m 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	4h 16m	3h 44m	5h 2m
Total cost (1 person)	$84	$182	$16
Carbon footprint	90 kg CO₂	42 kg CO₂	8 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 13, 2026.

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