Drive or Fly: Palo Alto, 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 scheduled commercial flights found for SQL–HHR. At 355 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

6h 45m

Distance

355.2 mi

Total Cost

$114

CO2

144 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$79

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

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 6m

38m in the air

Air Distance

320 mi

Total Cost

$188

CO2

82 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Palo Alto, CA → SQL 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 38m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HHR → Los Angeles, CA 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $133) $133

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Palo Alto, CA SQL — San Carlos Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 3h 39m 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	6h 45m	3h 6m
Total cost (1 person)	$114	$188
Carbon footprint	144 kg CO₂	82 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 13, 2026.

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