Drive or Fly: Long Beach, CA to Meadowbrook, 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–SBD. At 70 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 28m

Distance

70.8 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 55m

6m in the air

Air Distance

52 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

13 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Long Beach, CA → LGB 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SBD → Meadowbrook, CA 39m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

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

Meadowbrook, CA SBD — San Bernardino International Airport 26 mi, ~39m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LGB and SBD. 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 13m

41m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Long Beach, CA → Fullerton Amtrak Station 25m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 41m

Arrival 10m

Riverside → Meadowbrook, CA 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From Fullerton Amtrak Station 17 mi, ~25m drive

To Riverside 18 mi, ~27m 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	1h 28m	2h 55m	2h 13m
Total cost (1 person)	$51	$122	$7
Carbon footprint	29 kg CO₂	13 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

70.8 mi 1h 28m

via CA 91, I 15, I 710

Shortest (+0 min)

67 mi 1h 28m

via I 15, CA 91, CA 22

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