Drive or Fly: San Rafael, CA to Long Beach, CA?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Could go either way

Medium

This distance is a toss-up. Drive if you want flexibility and lower cost, fly if you value time. Connecting flights add time.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 45m

Distance

415.2 mi

Total Cost

$133

CO2

168 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$98

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 31m

45m in the air

Air Distance

379 mi

Total Cost

$190

CO2

97 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Rafael, CA → OAK 36m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 45m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LGB → Long Beach, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $135) $135

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

San Rafael, CA OAK — Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport 24 mi, ~36m drive

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

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

99.2%

Cancellation

0.9%

+ Saves about 4h 14m 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	7h 45m	3h 31m
Total cost (1 person)	$133	$190
Carbon footprint	168 kg CO₂	97 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 Sep 11, 2026.

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