Drive or Fly: Hercules, CA to Long Beach, 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 CCR–LGB. At 407 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 36m

Distance

407.2 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

165 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$90

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 14m

45m in the air

Air Distance

373 mi

Total Cost

$190

CO2

95 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hercules, CA → CCR 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 45m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LGB → Long Beach, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $135) $135

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Hercules, CA CCR — Buchanan Field 13 mi, ~19m drive

Long Beach, CA LGB — Long Beach International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CCR and LGB. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 4h 22m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− 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	7h 36m	3h 14m
Total cost (1 person)	$125	$190
Carbon footprint	165 kg CO₂	95 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

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 17, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Hercules, CA to Long Beach, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.