Drive or Fly: Vacaville, 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 CCR–LGB. At 422 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

6h 51m

Distance

422.1 mi

Total Cost

$129

CO2

171 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$94

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 34m

46m in the air

Air Distance

381 mi

Total Cost

$190

CO2

97 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Vacaville, CA → CCR 38m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 46m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LGB → Long Beach, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $135) $135

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Vacaville, CA CCR — Buchanan Field 26 mi, ~38m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 3h 17m 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	6h 51m	3h 34m
Total cost (1 person)	$129	$190
Carbon footprint	171 kg CO₂	97 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 Vacaville, CA to Long Beach, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.