Drive or Fly: San Diego, CA to Crescent City, CA?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Flying wins

Medium

Flying saves significant time at this distance. Consider driving only if you enjoy the road trip.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

16h 36m

Distance

847.8 mi

Total Cost

$367

CO2

343 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$187

Hotel (1 room, 1 night) $110

Meals (1 pax, 2 days) $70

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

− Requires 2 days of driving

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 48m

1h 28m in the air

Air Distance

734 mi

Total Cost

$294

CO2

187 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Diego, CA → SAN 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 88m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CEC → Crescent City, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $239) $239

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

San Diego, CA SAN — San Diego International Airport 2 mi, ~10m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 12h 48m 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	16h 36m	3h 48m
Total cost (1 person)	$367	$294
Carbon footprint	343 kg CO₂	187 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 19, 2026.

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