Drive or Fly: Folsom, 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 395 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

7h 28m

Distance

395.8 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

160 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$88

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

3h 33m

43m in the air

Air Distance

359 mi

Total Cost

$189

CO2

91 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Folsom, CA → SMF 34m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 43m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HHR → Los Angeles, CA 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $134) $134

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Folsom, CA SMF — Sacramento International Airport 22 mi, ~34m 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 55m 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	7h 28m	3h 33m
Total cost (1 person)	$123	$189
Carbon footprint	160 kg CO₂	91 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 Folsom, CA to Los Angeles, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.