Drive or Fly: Riverside, CA to Rio Del Mar, 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 SBD–MRY. At 386 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 28m

Distance

386.7 mi

Total Cost

$120

CO2

156 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$85

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 39m

39m in the air

Air Distance

328 mi

Total Cost

$188

CO2

84 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Riverside, CA → SBD 20m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 39m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MRY → Rio Del Mar, CA 40m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $133) $133

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Rio Del Mar, CA MRY — Monterey Regional Airport 27 mi, ~40m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SBD and MRY. 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 28m	3h 39m
Total cost (1 person)	$120	$188
Carbon footprint	156 kg CO₂	84 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 Riverside, CA to Rio Del Mar, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.