Drive or Fly: Beaumont, CA to Los Angeles, 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–HHR. At 78 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 31m

Distance

78.6 mi

Total Cost

$52

CO2

32 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$17
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

2h 53m

9m in the air

Air Distance

73 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

19 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Beaumont, CA → SBD 28m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 9m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
HHR → Los Angeles, CA 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Beaumont, CA SBD — San Bernardino International Airport 19 mi, ~28m drive
Los Angeles, CA HHR — Jack Northrop Field Hawthorne Municipal Airport 10 mi, ~16m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SBD and HHR. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 43m

2h 58m on road

Total Cost

$9

CO2

5 kg

Route

FlixBus 2055

Door-to-Door Timeline

Beaumont, CA → Banning Bus Stop (BNG6) 10m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 178m
Arrival 10m
Los Angeles Union Station Arrivals (LUN6) → Los Angeles, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From BNG6 — Banning Bus Stop 5 mi, ~10m drive
To LUN6 — Los Angeles Union Station Arrivals 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/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 6 trips per week
Travel time longer than driving
Need transportation to/from station
Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

Drive Fly Bus
Door-to-door time 1h 31m 2h 53m 3h 43m
Total cost (1 person) $52 $123 $9
Carbon footprint 32 kg CO2 19 kg CO2 5 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: 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 Beaumont, CA to Los Angeles, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.