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Drive or Fly: Grass Valley, 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

Driving is significantly cheaper and the distance is manageable in one day.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

8h 43m

Distance

464.6 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

188 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$88
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

4h 8m

49m in the air

Air Distance

409 mi

Total Cost

$191

CO2

104 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Grass Valley, CA → SMF 69m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 49m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
LGB → Long Beach, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $136) $136
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Grass Valley, CA SMF — Sacramento International Airport 46 mi, ~69m drive
Long Beach, CA LGB — Long Beach International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

98.7%

Cancellation

1.3%

+ Saves about 4h 35m compared to driving
+ Less physical fatigue
+ Predictable arrival time
− Airport security and check-in overhead
− 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 43m 4h 8m
Total cost (1 person) $123 $191
Carbon footprint 188 kg CO2 104 kg CO2
Flexibility High Low
Luggage Unlimited Restricted
Reliability Weather dependent 99% on-time
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 Jul 19, 2026.

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