Drive or Fly: Santa Ana, CA to Durham, 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 SNA–RDD. At 499 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

9h 21m

Distance

499.2 mi

Total Cost

$145

CO2

202 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$110

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

4h 43m

55m in the air

Air Distance

462 mi

Total Cost

$193

CO2

118 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Santa Ana, CA → SNA 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 55m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDD → Durham, CA 98m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $138) $138

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Santa Ana, CA SNA — John Wayne Orange County International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

Durham, CA RDD — Redding Municipal Airport 65 mi, ~98m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 4h 38m 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	9h 21m	4h 43m
Total cost (1 person)	$145	$193
Carbon footprint	202 kg CO₂	118 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 16, 2026.

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