Drive or Fly: Colfax, 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 SMF–HHR. At 433 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

8h 1m

Distance

433.1 mi

Total Cost

$131

CO2

175 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$96

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

46m in the air

Air Distance

380 mi

Total Cost

$190

CO2

97 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Colfax, CA → SMF 66m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 46m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HHR → Los Angeles, CA 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $135) $135

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Colfax, CA SMF — Sacramento International Airport 44 mi, ~66m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SMF and HHR. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 53m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− 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 1m	4h 8m
Total cost (1 person)	$131	$190
Carbon footprint	175 kg CO₂	97 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

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 12, 2026.

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