Drive or Fly: Willow Creek, CA to Sacramento, 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–SMF. At 260 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 55m

Distance

260.5 mi

Total Cost

$93

CO2

105 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$58

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

3h 16m

24m in the air

Air Distance

199 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

51 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Willow Creek, CA → ACV 38m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 24m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SMF → Sacramento, CA 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Sacramento, CA SMF — Sacramento International Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ACV 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 49m

3h 30m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

8 kg

Route

FlixBus N2111

Door-to-Door Timeline

Willow Creek, CA → Redding Bus Station (RDG6) 104m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 210m

Arrival 10m

Sacramento (Old Sacramento 2nd St/J St) (0SI) → Sacramento, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From RDG6 — Redding Bus Station 69 mi, ~104m drive

To 0SI — Sacramento (Old Sacramento 2nd St/J St) 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	4h 55m	3h 16m	5h 49m
Total cost (1 person)	$93	$183	$16
Carbon footprint	105 kg CO₂	51 kg CO₂	8 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: FlixBus 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 Sacramento, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.