Drive or Fly: Jurupa Valley, 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 ONT–LGB. At 53 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 5m

Distance

53.4 mi

Total Cost

$47

CO2

22 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$12
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 25m

5m in the air

Air Distance

42 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Jurupa Valley, CA → ONT 10m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 5m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
LGB → Long Beach, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Jurupa Valley, CA ONT — Ontario International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive
Long Beach, CA LGB — Long Beach International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ONT 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

2h 34m

1h 16m on rail

Total Cost

$7

CO2

2 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Jurupa Valley, CA → Riverside 13m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 76m
Arrival 10m
Fullerton Amtrak Station → Long Beach, CA 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From Riverside 8 mi, ~13m drive
To Fullerton Amtrak Station 17 mi, ~25m 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

At a Glance

Drive Fly Train
Door-to-door time 1h 5m 2h 25m 2h 34m
Total cost (1 person) $47 $122 $7
Carbon footprint 22 kg CO2 11 kg CO2 2 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 — 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 Jurupa Valley, CA to Long Beach, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.