Drive or Fly: Palmdale, 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 BUR–SBD. At 77 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 41m

Distance

77 mi

Total Cost

$52

CO2

31 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$17

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 11m

7m in the air

Air Distance

60 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

15 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Palmdale, CA → BUR 44m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SBD → Riverside, CA 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Palmdale, CA BUR — Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope Airport 29 mi, ~44m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BUR 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

3h 25m

1h 45m on rail

Total Cost

$11

CO2

4 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Palmdale, CA → La Crescenta Amtrak Bus Stop 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 105m

Arrival 10m

Riverside → Riverside, CA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From La Crescenta Amtrak Bus Stop 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Riverside 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 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 41m	3h 11m	3h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$52	$122	$11
Carbon footprint	31 kg CO₂	15 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

77 mi 1h 40m

via CA 138, I 215, I 15; US 66 Hist

Shortest (+7 min)

74.9 mi 1h 48m

via CA 138, Sierra Avenue, I 15; US 66 Hist

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