Drive or Fly: Hayfork, 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 direct flights for RDD–HHR. Driving is the practical choice at this distance.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

11h 15m

Distance

604.4 mi

Total Cost

$314

CO2

244 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$134

Hotel (1 room, 1 night) $110

Meals (1 pax, 2 days) $70

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

− Requires 2 days of driving

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

4h 29m

1h 3m in the air

Air Distance

525 mi

Total Cost

$196

CO2

134 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hayfork, CA → RDD 70m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 63m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HHR → Los Angeles, CA 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $141) $141

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Hayfork, CA RDD — Redding Municipal Airport 47 mi, ~70m 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 6h 46m 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

19h 6m

17h 14m on rail

Total Cost

$101

CO2

29 kg

Route

Coast Starlight

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hayfork, CA → Redding Amtrak 62m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 1034m

Arrival 10m

Los Angeles → Los Angeles, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $101) $101

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

Stations

From Redding Amtrak 41 mi, ~62m 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

+ 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	11h 15m	4h 29m	19h 6m
Total cost (1 person)	$314	$196	$101
Carbon footprint	244 kg CO₂	134 kg CO₂	29 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 13, 2026.

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