Drive or Fly: Clear Lake Riviera, 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 STS–HHR. At 462 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

8h 57m

Distance

462.3 mi

Total Cost

$137

CO2

187 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$102

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 53m

50m in the air

Air Distance

420 mi

Total Cost

$192

CO2

107 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Clear Lake Riviera, CA → STS 47m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 50m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HHR → Los Angeles, CA 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $137) $137

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Clear Lake Riviera, CA STS — Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport 31 mi, ~47m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 5h 4m 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	8h 57m	3h 53m
Total cost (1 person)	$137	$192
Carbon footprint	187 kg CO₂	107 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 21, 2026.

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