Drive or Fly: McKinleyville, CA to Los Angeles, CA?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No direct flights for ACV–HHR. Driving is the practical choice at this distance.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

12h 45m

Distance

683.1 mi

Total Cost

$332

CO2

276 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$152

Hotel (1 room, 1 night) $110

Meals (1 pax, 2 days) $70

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

− Requires 2 days of driving

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 35m

1h 9m in the air

Air Distance

574 mi

Total Cost

$198

CO2

146 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

McKinleyville, CA → ACV 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 69m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HHR → Los Angeles, CA 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $143) $143

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

McKinleyville, CA ACV — California Redwood Coast-Humboldt County Airport 2 mi, ~10m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 9h 10m 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	12h 45m	3h 35m
Total cost (1 person)	$332	$198
Carbon footprint	276 kg CO₂	146 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 12, 2026.

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