Drive or Fly: Vandenberg Village, 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 SMX–HHR. At 153 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 8m

Distance

153.9 mi

Total Cost

$69

CO2

62 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$34

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

2h 52m

16m in the air

Air Distance

135 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

34 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Vandenberg Village, CA → SMX 20m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HHR → Los Angeles, CA 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Vandenberg Village, CA SMX — Santa Maria Public Airport Captain G Allan Hancock Field 13 mi, ~20m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 3m

4h 23m on rail

Total Cost

$28

CO2

9 kg

Route

Pacific Surfliner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Vandenberg Village, CA → Lompoc-Surf Amtrak 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 263m

Arrival 10m

Los Angeles → Los Angeles, CA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

From Lompoc-Surf Amtrak 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Los Angeles 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~15/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

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	3h 8m	2h 52m	6h 3m
Total cost (1 person)	$69	$125	$28
Carbon footprint	62 kg CO₂	34 kg CO₂	9 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 18, 2026.

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