Drive or Fly: Vandenberg Village, 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 SMX–LGB. At 174 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 33m

Distance

174.6 mi

Total Cost

$72

CO2

71 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$37

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 47m

17m in the air

Air Distance

145 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Vandenberg Village, CA → SMX 20m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LGB → Long Beach, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Vandenberg Village, CA SMX — Santa Maria Public Airport Captain G Allan Hancock Field 13 mi, ~20m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SMX and LGB. 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

6h 57m

5h 17m on rail

Total Cost

$33

CO2

10 kg

Route

Pacific Surfliner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Vandenberg Village, CA → Lompoc-Surf Amtrak 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 317m

Arrival 10m

Fullerton Amtrak Station → Long Beach, CA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $33) $33

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

Stations

From Lompoc-Surf Amtrak 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Fullerton Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~12/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

− Limited schedule — about 12 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	3h 33m	2h 47m	6h 57m
Total cost (1 person)	$72	$126	$33
Carbon footprint	71 kg CO₂	37 kg CO₂	10 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 26, 2026.

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