Drive or Fly: Los Angeles, CA to Joshua Tree, 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–PSP. At 127 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 33m

Distance

127.7 mi

Total Cost

$63

CO2

52 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$28

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

3h 5m

13m in the air

Air Distance

111 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

28 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Los Angeles, CA → HHR 16m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PSP → Joshua Tree, CA 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

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

Joshua Tree, CA PSP — Palm Springs International Airport 24 mi, ~36m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HHR and PSP. 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 58m

2h 36m on rail

Total Cost

$19

CO2

6 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Los Angeles, CA → Los Angeles 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 156m

Arrival 10m

Palm Springs Amtrak → Joshua Tree, CA 32m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From Los Angeles 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Palm Springs Amtrak 21 mi, ~32m 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

4h 38m

3h 32m on road

Total Cost

$11

CO2

6 kg

Route

FlixBus 2055

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 212m

Arrival 10m

Desert Hot Springs (Chevron) (DHT6) → Joshua Tree, CA 31m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

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

To DHT6 — Desert Hot Springs (Chevron) 20 mi, ~31m 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	2h 33m	3h 5m	3h 58m	4h 38m
Total cost (1 person)	$63	$124	$19	$11
Carbon footprint	52 kg CO₂	28 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	6 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 13, 2026.

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