Drive or Fly: Los Angeles, CA to Orland, 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 483 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

8h 52m

Distance

483.5 mi

Total Cost

$142

CO2

195 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$107

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 29m

54m in the air

Air Distance

450 mi

Total Cost

$193

CO2

115 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Los Angeles, CA → HHR 16m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 54m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDD → Orland, CA 79m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $138) $138

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Orland, CA RDD — Redding Municipal Airport 53 mi, ~79m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 4h 23m 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

17h 4m

15h 46m on rail

Total Cost

$88

CO2

25 kg

Route

Coast Starlight

Door-to-Door Timeline

Los Angeles, CA → Los Angeles 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 946m

Arrival 10m

Chico Amtrak → Orland, CA 28m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $88) $88

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

Stations

From Los Angeles 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Chico Amtrak 19 mi, ~28m 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	8h 52m	4h 29m	17h 4m
Total cost (1 person)	$142	$193	$88
Carbon footprint	195 kg CO₂	115 kg CO₂	25 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 12, 2026.

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