Drive or Fly: Los Angeles, CA to Murrieta Hot Springs, 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–CLD. At 82 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 39m

Distance

82.5 mi

Total Cost

$53

CO2

33 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$18

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 11m

9m in the air

Air Distance

71 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Los Angeles, CA → HHR 16m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CLD → Murrieta Hot Springs, CA 46m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

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

Murrieta Hot Springs, CA CLD — McClellan-Palomar Airport 31 mi, ~46m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HHR and CLD. 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

3h 7m

1h 27m on rail

Total Cost

$11

CO2

5 kg

Route

Pacific Surfliner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Los Angeles, CA → Los Angeles 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 87m

Arrival 10m

San Clemente Pier Amtrak → Murrieta Hot Springs, CA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From Los Angeles 0 mi, ~30m drive

To San Clemente Pier Amtrak 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~32/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	1h 39m	3h 11m	3h 7m
Total cost (1 person)	$53	$123	$11
Carbon footprint	33 kg CO₂	18 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 — 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

82.5 mi 1h 38m

via I 15, CA 91, US 101

Shortest (+0 min)

82.2 mi 1h 39m

via I 15, CA 71, San Bernardino Freeway

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