Drive or Fly: Long Beach, CA to Tamalpais Valley, 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–SFO. At 420 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 57m

Distance

420.5 mi

Total Cost

$128

CO2

170 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$93

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 25m

45m in the air

Air Distance

374 mi

Total Cost

$190

CO2

95 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Long Beach, CA → LGB 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 45m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SFO → Tamalpais Valley, CA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $135) $135

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Tamalpais Valley, CA SFO — San Francisco International Airport 20 mi, ~30m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LGB and SFO. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 4h 32m compared to driving

+ 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	7h 57m	3h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$128	$190
Carbon footprint	170 kg CO₂	95 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

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.

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