Drive or Fly: Salinas, 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 MRY–HHR. At 303 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 51m

Distance

303 mi

Total Cost

$102

CO2

122 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$67

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

32m in the air

Air Distance

264 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

67 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Salinas, CA → MRY 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 32m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HHR → Los Angeles, CA 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Salinas, CA MRY — Monterey Regional Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 45m 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

10h 5m

9h 5m on rail

Total Cost

$53

CO2

15 kg

Route

Coast Starlight

Door-to-Door Timeline

Salinas, CA → Salinas 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 545m

Arrival 10m

Los Angeles → Los Angeles, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $53) $53

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

Stations

From Salinas 0 mi, ~10m 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

+ 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	5h 51m	3h 6m	10h 5m
Total cost (1 person)	$102	$186	$53
Carbon footprint	122 kg CO₂	67 kg CO₂	15 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 Salinas, CA to Los Angeles, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.