Drive or Fly: Los Angeles, CA to Bella Vista, 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–RDD. At 551 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

10h 6m

Distance

551.5 mi

Total Cost

$302

CO2

223 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$122

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

3h 31m

1h 1m in the air

Air Distance

505 mi

Total Cost

$195

CO2

129 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Los Angeles, CA → HHR 16m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 61m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDD → Bella Vista, CA 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $140) $140

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Bella Vista, CA RDD — Redding Municipal Airport 10 mi, ~14m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 6h 35m 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 18m

17h 14m on rail

Total Cost

$101

CO2

29 kg

Route

Coast Starlight

Door-to-Door Timeline

Los Angeles, CA → Los Angeles 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 1034m

Arrival 10m

Redding Amtrak → Bella Vista, CA 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $101) $101

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

Stations

From Los Angeles 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Redding Amtrak 9 mi, ~14m 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	10h 6m	3h 31m	18h 18m
Total cost (1 person)	$302	$195	$101
Carbon footprint	223 kg CO₂	129 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 17, 2026.

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