Drive or Fly: San Francisco, CA to Rio Vista, 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 SFO–CCR. At 61 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 20m

Distance

61.6 mi

Total Cost

$49

CO2

25 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$14

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

2h 58m

6m in the air

Air Distance

48 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

12 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Francisco, CA → SFO 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CCR → Rio Vista, CA 35m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

San Francisco, CA SFO — San Francisco International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

Rio Vista, CA CCR — Buchanan Field 23 mi, ~35m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SFO and CCR. 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 20m	2h 58m
Total cost (1 person)	$49	$122
Carbon footprint	25 kg CO₂	12 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 18, 2026.

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