Drive or Fly: Los Angeles, CA to Auburn Lake Trails, 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 HHR–SMF. At 428 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

8h 9m

Distance

428.5 mi

Total Cost

$130

CO2

173 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$95

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

3h 56m

44m in the air

Air Distance

368 mi

Total Cost

$190

CO2

94 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Los Angeles, CA → HHR 16m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 44m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SMF → Auburn Lake Trails, CA 56m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $135) $135

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Auburn Lake Trails, CA SMF — Sacramento International Airport 38 mi, ~56m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 4h 13m 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 9m	3h 56m
Total cost (1 person)	$130	$190
Carbon footprint	173 kg CO₂	94 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 18, 2026.

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