I head from Irvine to RNO a few times a year. I've tried several different airlines, but there aren't too many satisfactory flights to and from.

Flying from SNA:
1) Aloha, $182.60 RT. But I don't like the flight times, real late outbound and real early inbound.
2) WN, but it always has at least one stop and is more expensive at $199.20 for the same dates, and you're basically cattle.
3) My preferred carrier, AA, only has an AS codeshare out of LAX on a DH8 for $178.60. But I have to spend an hour driving out to LAX.


By road:
1) I-5 north to Sacramento, where I switch to I-80 east, pretty nice, but climbing drive through the Sierras. (9 hours)
2) There's the 55 Fwy to the 91 Fwy east to I-15 north to I-395 north. That's a slower drive, but very scenic and very fun to drive a car that handles well. (10 hours)
3) There's also I-15 to US-95 north to I-80. But US-95 is the main street though several towns where the speed limit goes to 25 mph, and the sheriff sits there waiting for you...plus the scenery is all desert. (10-11 hours)

Depending on how much fuel costs at the time and how much time I want to spend (or how much I have to carry) I usually end up driving. But during the winter, I-395 and I-80 end up getting snowed in pretty bad, so I end up flying Aloha to RNO. But I usually end up driving more often than flying.



Steve