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Drive or Fly: Sunnyvale, 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 SJC–HHR. At 350 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 39m

Distance

350.1 mi

Total Cost

$112

CO2

141 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$77
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 4m

38m in the air

Air Distance

313 mi

Total Cost

$188

CO2

80 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sunnyvale, CA → SJC 10m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 38m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
HHR → Los Angeles, CA 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $133) $133
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Sunnyvale, CA SJC — Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive
Los Angeles, CA HHR — Jack Northrop Field Hawthorne Municipal Airport 10 mi, ~16m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 3h 35m 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 6h 39m 3h 4m
Total cost (1 person) $112 $188
Carbon footprint 141 kg CO2 80 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 Sunnyvale, CA to Los Angeles, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.