Drive or Fly: Los Angeles, CA to Tucson, AZ?

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–TUS. At 488 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

8h 45m

Distance

488.4 mi

Total Cost

$143

CO2

197 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$108

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

3h 20m

53m in the air

Air Distance

442 mi

Total Cost

$193

CO2

113 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Los Angeles, CA → HHR 16m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 53m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TUS → Tucson, AZ 11m

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

Tucson, AZ TUS — Tucson International Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 5h 25m 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

11h 18m

9h 38m on rail

Total Cost

$88

CO2

28 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Los Angeles, CA → Los Angeles 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 578m

Arrival 10m

Tucson Amtrak Station → Tucson, AZ 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $88) $88

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

Stations

From Los Angeles 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Tucson Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

10h 44m

9h 19m on road

Total Cost

$48

CO2

28 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Los Angeles, CA → Los Angeles Union Station Arrivals (LUN6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 559m

Arrival 10m

Tucson (6th Street Garage - University of Arizona, Tucson) (UOA) → Tucson, AZ 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $48) $48

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

Stations

From LUN6 — Los Angeles Union Station Arrivals 0 mi, ~30m drive

To UOA — Tucson (6th Street Garage - University of Arizona, Tucson) 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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 7 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	8h 45m	3h 20m	11h 18m	10h 44m
Total cost (1 person)	$143	$193	$88	$48
Carbon footprint	197 kg CO₂	113 kg CO₂	28 kg CO₂	28 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 17, 2026.

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