Drive or Fly: Willow Creek, CA to Arcata, 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 ACV–ACV. At 41 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

48m

Distance

41 mi

Total Cost

$44

CO2

17 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$9

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 53m

3m in the air

Air Distance

24 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

6 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Willow Creek, CA → ACV 38m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ACV → Arcata, CA 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Willow Creek, CA ACV — California Redwood Coast-Humboldt County Airport 25 mi, ~38m drive

Arcata, CA ACV — California Redwood Coast-Humboldt County Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ACV and ACV. 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

1h 36m

10m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

0 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Willow Creek, CA → Arcata 36m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 10m

Arrival 10m

Arcata → Arcata, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $0) $0

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

Stations

From Arcata 24 mi, ~36m drive

To Arcata 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 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	48m	2h 53m	1h 36m
Total cost (1 person)	$44	$121	$0
Carbon footprint	17 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	0 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 12, 2026.

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