Drive or Fly: La Habra Heights, CA to San Diego, 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 LGB–SAN. At 108 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 17m

Distance

108.5 mi

Total Cost

$59

CO2

44 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$24

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

2h 45m

12m in the air

Air Distance

97 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

25 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

La Habra Heights, CA → LGB 23m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SAN → San Diego, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

La Habra Heights, CA LGB — Long Beach International Airport 15 mi, ~23m drive

San Diego, CA SAN — San Diego International Airport 2 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LGB and SAN. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 25m

2h 25m on rail

Total Cost

$18

CO2

5 kg

Route

Pacific Surfliner

Door-to-Door Timeline

La Habra Heights, CA → Fullerton Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 145m

Arrival 10m

San Diego → San Diego, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

Estimated based on distance. Check amtrak.com for current prices.

Stations

From Fullerton Amtrak Station 7 mi, ~10m drive

To San Diego 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~28/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	2h 17m	2h 45m	3h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$59	$124	$18
Carbon footprint	44 kg CO₂	25 kg CO₂	5 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

Transit: Amtrak GTFS — fares estimated

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 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

108.5 mi 2h 17m

via I 5

Alternative (+12 min)

126.9 mi 2h 29m

via I 15, CA 163, CA 71

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from La Habra Heights, CA to San Diego, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.