Drive or Fly: Red Bluff, 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 RDD–LGB. At 538 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

8h 27m

Distance

538.4 mi

Total Cost

$155

CO2

218 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$120

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 45m

1h in the air

Air Distance

496 mi

Total Cost

$195

CO2

126 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Red Bluff, CA → RDD 35m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 60m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LGB → Long Beach, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $140) $140

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Red Bluff, CA RDD — Redding Municipal Airport 23 mi, ~35m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 4h 42m 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	8h 27m	3h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$155	$195
Carbon footprint	218 kg CO₂	126 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 Red Bluff, CA to Long Beach, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.