Drive or Fly: Lenwood, 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 SBD–HHR. At 112 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 8m

Distance

112.6 mi

Total Cost

$60

CO2

45 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$25

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 48m

10m in the air

Air Distance

86 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

22 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lenwood, CA → SBD 82m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HHR → Los Angeles, CA 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Lenwood, CA SBD — San Bernardino International Airport 54 mi, ~82m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SBD 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

5h 26m

4h 26m on rail

Total Cost

$18

CO2

5 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lenwood, CA → Barstow 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 266m

Arrival 10m

Los Angeles → Los Angeles, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From Barstow 5 mi, ~10m drive

To Los Angeles 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/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 6 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 50m

2h 5m on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

5 kg

Route

FlixBus 2030

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lenwood, CA → Barstow Station (UBR) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 125m

Arrival 10m

Los Angeles Union Station Arrivals (LUN6) → Los Angeles, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From UBR — Barstow Station 6 mi, ~10m drive

To LUN6 — Los Angeles Union Station Arrivals 0 mi, ~10m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 8m	3h 48m	5h 26m	2h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$60	$123	$18	$10
Carbon footprint	45 kg CO₂	22 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	5 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, 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 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

112.6 mi 2h 7m

via I 15, I 10, I 10 EXPR

Shortest (+1 min)

112.4 mi 2h 9m

via I 15, CA 210, I 10

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