Drive or Fly: Los Angeles, CA to Palo Cedro, 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 541 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

10h

Distance

541.5 mi

Total Cost

$155

CO2

219 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$120

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 26m

1h in the air

Air Distance

500 mi

Total Cost

$195

CO2

128 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Los Angeles, CA → HHR 16m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 60m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDD → Palo Cedro, CA 10m

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

Palo Cedro, CA RDD — Redding Municipal Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 6h 34m 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 54m

17h 14m on rail

Total Cost

$101

CO2

31 kg

Route

Coast Starlight

Door-to-Door Timeline

Los Angeles, CA → Los Angeles 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 1034m

Arrival 10m

Redding Amtrak → Palo Cedro, CA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $101) $101

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

Stations

From Los Angeles 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Redding Amtrak 0 mi, ~30m 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	3h 26m	18h 54m
Total cost (1 person)	$155	$195	$101
Carbon footprint	219 kg CO₂	128 kg CO₂	31 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 15, 2026.

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