Drive or Fly: Coalinga, CA to Los Angeles, 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 FAT–HHR. At 199 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 50m

Distance

199.7 mi

Total Cost

$79

CO2

81 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$44

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

4h 3m

22m in the air

Air Distance

187 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

48 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Coalinga, CA → FAT 85m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HHR → Los Angeles, CA 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Coalinga, CA FAT — Fresno Yosemite International Airport 57 mi, ~85m drive

Los Angeles, CA HHR — Jack Northrop Field Hawthorne Municipal Airport 10 mi, ~16m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FAT and HHR. 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

9h 4m

7h 14m on rail

Total Cost

$35

CO2

10 kg

Route

Coast Starlight

Door-to-Door Timeline

Coalinga, CA → Paso Robles Amtrak Station 60m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 434m

Arrival 10m

Los Angeles → Los Angeles, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $35) $35

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

Stations

From Paso Robles Amtrak Station 40 mi, ~60m drive

To Los Angeles 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 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 50m	4h 3m	9h 4m
Total cost (1 person)	$79	$127	$35
Carbon footprint	81 kg CO₂	48 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Coalinga, CA to Los Angeles, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.