Drive or Fly: Long Beach, CA to San Bernardino, 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 71 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 28m

Distance

71.8 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 27m

7m in the air

Air Distance

57 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

14 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Long Beach, CA → LGB 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SBD → San Bernardino, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

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

San Bernardino, CA SBD — San Bernardino International Airport 3 mi, ~10m 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 42m

1h 2m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Long Beach, CA → Fullerton Amtrak Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 62m

Arrival 10m

San Bernardino → San Bernardino, CA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From Fullerton Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To San Bernardino 0 mi, ~30m 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 27m	2h 42m
Total cost (1 person)	$51	$122	$8
Carbon footprint	29 kg CO₂	14 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

71.8 mi 1h 27m

via CA 91, I 710, I 215

Alternative (+3 min)

73 mi 1h 31m

via I 10, I 605, I 10 EXPR

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