Drive or Fly: San Francisco, CA to South Gate, 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 SFO–HHR. At 389 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 19m

Distance

389.6 mi

Total Cost

$118

CO2

157 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$83

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 10m

42m in the air

Air Distance

354 mi

Total Cost

$189

CO2

90 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

San Francisco, CA → SFO 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 42m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HHR → South Gate, CA 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $134) $134

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

South Gate, CA HHR — Jack Northrop Field Hawthorne Municipal Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 4h 9m 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	7h 19m	3h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$118	$189
Carbon footprint	157 kg CO₂	90 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 26, 2026.

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