Drive or Fly: Riverside, CA to Ventura, 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–SBA. At 121 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 28m

Distance

121 mi

Total Cost

$62

CO2

49 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$27

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 22m

13m in the air

Air Distance

111 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

28 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Riverside, CA → SBD 20m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SBA → Ventura, CA 49m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

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

Ventura, CA SBA — Santa Barbara Municipal Airport 33 mi, ~49m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SBD and SBA. 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	2h 28m	3h 22m
Total cost (1 person)	$62	$124
Carbon footprint	49 kg CO₂	28 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

121 mi 2h 27m

via CA 134, I 210, CA 60

Alternative (+1 min)

123.9 mi 2h 29m

via CA 134, CA 60, I 5

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