Drive or Fly: Crescent City, 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 CEC–SMF. At 372 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 15m

Distance

372.9 mi

Total Cost

$105

CO2

151 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$70

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 55m

31m in the air

Air Distance

262 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

67 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Crescent City, CA → CEC 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 31m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SMF → Sacramento, CA 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Crescent City, CA CEC — Jack Mc Namara Field Airport 2 mi, ~10m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CEC and SMF. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 4h 20m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

9h 7m

7h 42m on road

Total Cost

$31

CO2

22 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Crescent City, CA → Grants Pass (A-1 Market) (GSP6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 462m

Arrival 10m

Sacramento Bus Station (SAC6) → Sacramento, CA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $31) $31

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

Stations

From GSP6 — Grants Pass (A-1 Market) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To SAC6 — Sacramento Bus Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~17/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

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	7h 15m	2h 55m	9h 7m
Total cost (1 person)	$105	$185	$31
Carbon footprint	151 kg CO₂	67 kg CO₂	22 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 Jul 19, 2026.

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