Drive or Fly: Tulelake, CA to Black Butte, 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 MFR–RDD. At 83 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 54m

Distance

83.2 mi

Total Cost

$53

CO2

34 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$18

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

5h 35m

7m in the air

Air Distance

60 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

15 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tulelake, CA → MFR 116m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDD → Black Butte, CA 92m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Tulelake, CA MFR — Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport 77 mi, ~116m drive

Black Butte, CA RDD — Redding Municipal Airport 61 mi, ~92m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MFR and RDD. 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 13m

2h 37m on rail

Total Cost

$15

CO2

4 kg

Route

Coast Starlight

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tulelake, CA → Klamath Falls 36m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 157m

Arrival 10m

Dunsmuir Amtrak Station → Black Butte, CA 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From Klamath Falls 24 mi, ~36m drive

To Dunsmuir Amtrak Station 13 mi, ~20m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	1h 54m	5h 35m	4h 13m
Total cost (1 person)	$53	$122	$15
Carbon footprint	34 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂	4 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 — 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 Jun 4, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

83.2 mi 1h 54m

via US 97, CA 161, CA 139

Alternative (+15 min)

101.4 mi 2h 10m

via US 97, East Front Street, Southside Expressway

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