Drive or Fly: Apple Valley, CA to Anaheim, 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 SBD–SNA. At 83 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 42m

Distance

83 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

3h 6m

7m in the air

Air Distance

62 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Apple Valley, CA → SBD 42m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SNA → Anaheim, CA 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Apple Valley, CA SBD — San Bernardino International Airport 28 mi, ~42m drive

Anaheim, CA SNA — John Wayne Orange County International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SBD and SNA. 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 5m

3h 5m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

3 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Apple Valley, CA → Victorville Amtrak 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 185m

Arrival 10m

Fullerton Amtrak Station → Anaheim, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From Victorville Amtrak 7 mi, ~10m drive

To Fullerton Amtrak Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 10m

2h 25m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0900

Door-to-Door Timeline

Apple Valley, CA → Victorville Bus Stop (VTT6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 145m

Arrival 10m

Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ANA6) → Anaheim, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From VTT6 — Victorville Bus Stop 7 mi, ~10m drive

To ANA6 — Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center 3 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 42m	3h 6m	4h 5m	3h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$53	$122	$12	$7
Carbon footprint	34 kg CO₂	16 kg CO₂	3 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, FlixBus 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 Apr 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Apple Valley, CA to Anaheim, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.