Skip to main content
Trip.ovh Logo
Trip.ovh

Drive or Fly: Los Angeles, CA to Maxwell, 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 450 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

8h 17m

Distance

450.5 mi

Total Cost

$134

CO2

182 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$99
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

4h 24m

51m in the air

Air Distance

422 mi

Total Cost

$192

CO2

108 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Los Angeles, CA → HHR 16m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 51m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
SMF → Maxwell, CA 77m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $137) $137
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Los Angeles, CA HHR — Jack Northrop Field Hawthorne Municipal Airport 10 mi, ~16m drive
Maxwell, CA SMF — Sacramento International Airport 52 mi, ~77m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 3h 53m 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 17m 4h 24m
Total cost (1 person) $134 $192
Carbon footprint 182 kg CO2 108 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 17, 2026.

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