Drive or Fly: Los Angeles, CA to Calexico, 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–IPL. At 222 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 14m

Distance

222.3 mi

Total Cost

$84

CO2

90 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$49

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

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

2h 56m

22m in the air

Air Distance

185 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

47 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Los Angeles, CA → HHR 16m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

IPL → Calexico, CA 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Calexico, CA IPL — Imperial County Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ 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

6h 54m

4h 47m on rail

Total Cost

$46

CO2

13 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Los Angeles, CA → Los Angeles 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 287m

Arrival 10m

Yuma Amtrak → Calexico, CA 77m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $46) $46

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

Stations

From Los Angeles 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Yuma Amtrak 51 mi, ~77m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 9m

4h 24m on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

11 kg

Route

FlixBus 2054

Door-to-Door Timeline

Los Angeles, CA → Los Angeles Union Station Arrivals (LUN6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 264m

Arrival 10m

Calexico Bus Station (CXO6) → Calexico, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From LUN6 — Los Angeles Union Station Arrivals 0 mi, ~10m drive

To CXO6 — Calexico Bus Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 6 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	4h 14m	2h 56m	6h 54m	5h 9m
Total cost (1 person)	$84	$182	$46	$20
Carbon footprint	90 kg CO₂	47 kg CO₂	13 kg CO₂	11 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, FlixBus 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 12, 2026.

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