Drive or Fly: East Los Angeles, CA to San Francisco, 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 HHR–SFO. At 387 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 12m

Distance

387.4 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

157 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$86

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 17m

42m in the air

Air Distance

352 mi

Total Cost

$189

CO2

90 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

East Los Angeles, CA → HHR 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 42m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SFO → San Francisco, CA 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $134) $134

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

East Los Angeles, CA HHR — Jack Northrop Field Hawthorne Municipal Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

San Francisco, CA SFO — San Francisco International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 3h 55m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

10h

8h 35m on road

Total Cost

$38

CO2

22 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

East Los Angeles, CA → Los Angeles Union Station (LAD6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 515m

Arrival 10m

San Francisco (5th/Townsend) (USF) → San Francisco, CA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $38) $38

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

Stations

From LAD6 — Los Angeles Union Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To USF — San Francisco (5th/Townsend) 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	7h 12m	3h 17m	10h
Total cost (1 person)	$121	$189	$38
Carbon footprint	157 kg CO₂	90 kg CO₂	22 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: FlixBus 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 19, 2026.

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