Drive or Fly: Lost Hills, CA to Long Beach, 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 BFL–LGB. At 168 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 14m

Distance

168.6 mi

Total Cost

$72

CO2

68 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$37

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 25m

18m in the air

Air Distance

154 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

39 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lost Hills, CA → BFL 57m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LGB → Long Beach, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Lost Hills, CA BFL — Meadows Field 38 mi, ~57m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BFL and LGB. 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

5h 8m

3h on rail

Total Cost

$24

CO2

7 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lost Hills, CA → Bakersfield 63m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 180m

Arrival 10m

Fullerton Amtrak Station → Long Beach, CA 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $24) $24

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

Stations

From Bakersfield 42 mi, ~63m drive

To Fullerton Amtrak Station 17 mi, ~25m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 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	3h 14m	3h 25m	5h 8m
Total cost (1 person)	$72	$126	$24
Carbon footprint	68 kg CO₂	39 kg CO₂	7 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

168.6 mi 3h 13m

via I 5, I 5 Truck, I 405 Truck

Alternative (+3 min)

169.3 mi 3h 16m

via I 5 Truck, I 5, I 710

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