Drive or Fly: Long Beach, CA to Big River, 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 LGB–HII. At 264 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 12m

Distance

264.9 mi

Total Cost

$94

CO2

107 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$59

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 22m

27m in the air

Air Distance

221 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

56 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Long Beach, CA → LGB 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 27m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HII → Big River, CA 45m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Big River, CA HII — Lake Havasu City Airport 30 mi, ~45m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LGB and HII. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

8h 5m

5h 44m on rail

Total Cost

$40

CO2

12 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Long Beach, CA → Fullerton Amtrak Station 25m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 344m

Arrival 10m

Needles Amtrak → Big River, CA 76m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $40) $40

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

Stations

From Fullerton Amtrak Station 17 mi, ~25m drive

To Needles Amtrak 50 mi, ~76m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 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	5h 12m	3h 22m	8h 5m
Total cost (1 person)	$94	$184	$40
Carbon footprint	107 kg CO₂	56 kg CO₂	12 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 13, 2026.

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