Drive or Fly: Pleasanton, 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 OAK–LGB. At 370 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 53m

Distance

370.8 mi

Total Cost

$117

CO2

150 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$82

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 20m

41m in the air

Air Distance

339 mi

Total Cost

$189

CO2

87 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pleasanton, CA → OAK 29m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 41m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LGB → Long Beach, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $134) $134

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Pleasanton, CA OAK — San Francisco Bay Oakland International Airport 19 mi, ~29m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 33m 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	5h 53m	3h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$117	$189
Carbon footprint	150 kg CO₂	87 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 12, 2026.

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