Skip to main content
US Trip Planner Logo
US Trip Planner

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

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

Driving wins

Medium

Driving is significantly cheaper and the distance is manageable in one day.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

9h 50m

Distance

523.2 mi

Total Cost

$134

CO2

211 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$99
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
− Driver fatigue on longer stretches
− Wear and tear on vehicle
− Fuel price fluctuations
Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 23m

58m in the air

Air Distance

486 mi

Total Cost

$194

CO2

124 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Woodland, CA → SMF 15m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 58m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
SAN → San Diego, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $139) $139
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Woodland, CA SMF — Sacramento International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive
San Diego, CA SAN — San Diego International Airport 2 mi, ~10m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

99.4%

Cancellation

0.6%

+ Saves about 6h 27m 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 9h 50m 3h 23m
Total cost (1 person) $134 $194
Carbon footprint 211 kg CO2 124 kg CO2
Flexibility High Low
Luggage Unlimited Restricted
Reliability Weather dependent 99% 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 Jul 20, 2026.

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