Drive or Fly: San Jose, CA to Willows, 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 SJC–SMF. At 169 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 14m

Distance

169.6 mi

Total Cost

$72

CO2

69 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$37

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 7m

18m in the air

Air Distance

152 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

39 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Jose, CA → SJC 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SMF → Willows, CA 99m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

San Jose, CA SJC — Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

Willows, CA SMF — Sacramento International Airport 66 mi, ~99m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SJC 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

7h 4m

5h 39m on rail

Total Cost

$33

CO2

10 kg

Route

Coast Starlight

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Jose, CA → San Jose 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 339m

Arrival 10m

Chico Amtrak → Willows, CA 35m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $33) $33

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

Stations

From San Jose 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Chico Amtrak 23 mi, ~35m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	3h 14m	4h 7m	7h 4m
Total cost (1 person)	$72	$126	$33
Carbon footprint	69 kg CO₂	39 kg CO₂	10 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: Amtrak 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 17, 2026.

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