Drive or Fly: Hamilton City, 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 RDD–HHR. At 482 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

9h 4m

Distance

482.7 mi

Total Cost

$142

CO2

195 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$107

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 32m

53m in the air

Air Distance

445 mi

Total Cost

$193

CO2

113 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hamilton City, CA → RDD 83m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 53m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HHR → Los Angeles, CA 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $138) $138

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Hamilton City, CA RDD — Redding Municipal Airport 55 mi, ~83m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 4h 32m 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

18h 39m

16h 59m on rail

Total Cost

$88

CO2

28 kg

Route

Coast Starlight

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hamilton City, CA → Chico Amtrak 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 1019m

Arrival 10m

Los Angeles → Los Angeles, CA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $88) $88

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

Stations

From Chico Amtrak 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Los Angeles 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ Scenic views along the route

+ 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	9h 4m	4h 32m	18h 39m
Total cost (1 person)	$142	$193	$88
Carbon footprint	195 kg CO₂	113 kg CO₂	28 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 17, 2026.

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