Drive or Fly: Long Beach, CA to Carlsbad, 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–CLD. At 72 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 34m

Distance

72.4 mi

Total Cost

$51

CO2

29 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$16

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 28m

8m in the air

Air Distance

64 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Long Beach, CA → LGB 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CLD → Carlsbad, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

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

Carlsbad, CA CLD — McClellan-Palomar Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LGB and CLD. 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

3h 5m

1h 25m on rail

Total Cost

$11

CO2

4 kg

Route

Pacific Surfliner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Long Beach, CA → Fullerton Amtrak Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 85m

Arrival 10m

Oceanside → Carlsbad, CA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From Fullerton Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Oceanside 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~40/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

− 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 34m	2h 28m	3h 5m
Total cost (1 person)	$51	$123	$11
Carbon footprint	29 kg CO₂	16 kg CO₂	4 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 16, 2026.

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