Drive or Fly: San Diego, CA to Marysville, CA?

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

Could go either way

Medium

This distance is a toss-up. Drive if you want flexibility and lower cost, fly if you value time. Connecting flights add time.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

10h 11m

Distance

544.1 mi

Total Cost

$295

CO2

220 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$115

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 58m

1h 1m in the air

Air Distance

508 mi

Total Cost

$195

CO2

130 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Diego, CA → SAN 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 61m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SMF → Marysville, CA 47m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $140) $140

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Marysville, CA SMF — Sacramento International Airport 31 mi, ~47m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

100.0%

+ Saves about 6h 13m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− 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	10h 11m	3h 58m
Total cost (1 person)	$295	$195
Carbon footprint	220 kg CO₂	130 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	100% on-time

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 Jun 3, 2026.

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