Drive or Fly: San Pablo, CA to Irvine, 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–SNA. At 423 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 51m

Distance

423 mi

Total Cost

$97

CO2

171 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$62

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 21m

47m in the air

Air Distance

390 mi

Total Cost

$191

CO2

99 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Pablo, CA → CCR 24m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 47m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SNA → Irvine, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $136) $136

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Irvine, CA SNA — John Wayne Orange County International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CCR and SNA. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 4h 30m compared to driving

+ 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	7h 51m	3h 21m
Total cost (1 person)	$97	$191
Carbon footprint	171 kg CO₂	99 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

423 mi 7h 51m

via I 5, I 5 Truck, I 580

Alternative (+56 min)

454.8 mi 8h 47m

via US 101; CA 156, I 5, I 5 Truck

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