Drive or Fly: Pittsburg, 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 CCR–HHR. At 357 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

6h 45m

Distance

357.6 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 12m

41m in the air

Air Distance

342 mi

Total Cost

$189

CO2

87 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pittsburg, CA → CCR 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 41m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HHR → Los Angeles, CA 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $134) $134

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Pittsburg, CA CCR — Buchanan Field 10 mi, ~15m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 3h 33m 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

14h 28m

13h 17m on rail

Total Cost

$70

CO2

20 kg

Route

Coast Starlight

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pittsburg, CA → Martinez 21m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 797m

Arrival 10m

Los Angeles → Los Angeles, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $70) $70

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

Stations

From Martinez 14 mi, ~21m drive

To Los Angeles 0 mi, ~10m 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	6h 45m	3h 12m	14h 28m
Total cost (1 person)	$114	$189	$70
Carbon footprint	144 kg CO₂	87 kg CO₂	20 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 Pittsburg, CA to Los Angeles, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.