Drive or Fly: Lakeport, 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 STS–HHR. At 510 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

8h 27m

Distance

510.5 mi

Total Cost

$148

CO2

206 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$113

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

4h 4m

52m in the air

Air Distance

431 mi

Total Cost

$192

CO2

110 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lakeport, CA → STS 56m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 52m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HHR → Los Angeles, CA 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $137) $137

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Lakeport, CA STS — Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport 37 mi, ~56m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 4h 23m 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 27m	4h 4m
Total cost (1 person)	$148	$192
Carbon footprint	206 kg CO₂	110 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 13, 2026.

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