Drive or Fly: Bakersfield, CA to Avalon, 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 BFL–LGB. At 136 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 41m

Distance

136 mi

Total Cost

$65

CO2

55 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$30

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 18m

17m in the air

Air Distance

146 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bakersfield, CA → BFL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LGB → Avalon, CA 51m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Bakersfield, CA BFL — Meadows Field 5 mi, ~10m drive

Avalon, CA LGB — Long Beach International Airport 34 mi, ~51m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BFL and LGB. 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

5h 10m

3h 30m on rail

Total Cost

$26

CO2

8 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bakersfield, CA → Bakersfield 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 210m

Arrival 10m

Santa Ana → Avalon, CA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From Bakersfield 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Santa Ana 0 mi, ~30m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 25m

4h on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

8 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bakersfield, CA → Bakersfield Train Station (BKF6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 240m

Arrival 10m

Long Beach Downtown Transit Gallery (ULB) → Avalon, CA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From BKF6 — Bakersfield Train Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To ULB — Long Beach Downtown Transit Gallery 0 mi, ~30m 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	2h 41m	3h 18m	5h 10m	5h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$65	$126	$26	$13
Carbon footprint	55 kg CO₂	37 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	8 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 Bakersfield, CA to Avalon, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.