Drive or Fly: Menlo Park, CA to Riverside, 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 SQL–SBD. At 414 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 2m

Distance

414.8 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

168 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$92

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 13m

43m in the air

Air Distance

361 mi

Total Cost

$189

CO2

92 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Menlo Park, CA → SQL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 43m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SBD → Riverside, CA 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $134) $134

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Menlo Park, CA SQL — San Carlos Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

Riverside, CA SBD — San Bernardino International Airport 14 mi, ~20m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SQL and SBD. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 49m 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 2m	3h 13m
Total cost (1 person)	$127	$189
Carbon footprint	168 kg CO₂	92 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 16, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Menlo Park, CA to Riverside, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.