Drive or Fly: Willows, CA to Laguna, 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 SMF–SMF. At 99 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 55m

Distance

99.1 mi

Total Cost

$57

CO2

40 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$22

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 21m

10m in the air

Air Distance

87 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

22 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Willows, CA → SMF 99m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SMF → Laguna, CA 32m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

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

Laguna, CA SMF — Sacramento International Airport 21 mi, ~32m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SMF 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

4h 3m

2h 38m on rail

Total Cost

$18

CO2

5 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Willows, CA → Chico Amtrak 35m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 158m

Arrival 10m

Elk Grove Amtrak Bus Stop → Laguna, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From Chico Amtrak 23 mi, ~35m drive

To Elk Grove Amtrak Bus Stop 3 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 18m

2h on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Route

FlixBus N2111

Door-to-Door Timeline

Willows, CA → Chico Bus Station (CHO6) 35m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 120m

Arrival 10m

Sacramento (Old Sacramento 2nd St/J St) (0SI) → Laguna, CA 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From CHO6 — Chico Bus Station 23 mi, ~35m drive

To 0SI — Sacramento (Old Sacramento 2nd St/J St) 12 mi, ~18m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 55m	4h 21m	4h 3m	3h 18m
Total cost (1 person)	$57	$123	$18	$9
Carbon footprint	40 kg CO₂	22 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	5 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, 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 13, 2026.

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