Is It Cheaper to Fly or Drive for a Weekend Trip from LA?

The instinct is that driving is cheaper. Sometimes it is. But when you factor in gas prices, time, wear on your car, parking at the destination, and the hours you lose behind the wheel instead of at your destination, flying wins more often than people expect.

The comparison framework

For each destination, we're comparing: gas cost (at $4.50/gallon for a car getting 30 mpg), flight cost (average economy round trip from LAX), drive time (one way), and the time value of the hours you spend driving instead of enjoying your weekend.

San Diego (120 miles)

Drive: 2-3 hours depending on traffic. Gas: ~$36 round trip. Parking at hotel: $20-40/night. Total drive cost: $76-116. Flight: $70-140 round trip. Time: 1 hour each way.

Verdict: Driving is slightly cheaper but takes 2-4 hours longer round trip. If you value your time, flying is competitive. If you're in the Valley and face Friday afternoon 405/5 traffic, flying from BUR is faster door-to-door.

Las Vegas (270 miles)

Drive: 4-5 hours (longer on Fridays when everyone else has the same idea). Gas: ~$81 round trip. Parking in Vegas: $15-25/day ($30-50 for the weekend). Total drive cost: $111-131. Flight: $60-150 round trip. Time: 1 hour each way.

Verdict: Flying is often cheaper AND saves 6-8 hours of windshield time. This is the clearest "fly" winner on the list. A Friday drive to Vegas is 5+ hours in traffic. A Friday flight is 60 minutes.

San Francisco (380 miles)

Drive: 5.5-6.5 hours. Gas: ~$114 round trip. Parking in SF: $40-60/day ($80-120 for the weekend). Total drive cost: $194-234. Flight: $80-180 round trip. Time: 1.5 hours each way.

Verdict: Flying is cheaper and saves 8-10 hours. No contest. Plus you don't need a car in San Francisco. The city is walkable and has great public transit.

Phoenix/Scottsdale (370 miles)

Drive: 5.5-6 hours. Gas: ~$111 round trip. Total drive cost: ~$111 (hotels usually have free parking). Flight: $80-160 round trip. Time: 1.5 hours each way.

Verdict: Costs are similar, but flying saves 8+ hours. If you need a car in Scottsdale (you do, for most things), the rental cost tips the math back toward driving. But for a pool-and-Old-Town weekend, you can get by without a car.

The rule of thumb

If the drive is under 3 hours, drive. If it's over 4 hours, fly. Between 3 and 4 hours, fly if you can find a fare under $150 round trip. For a weekend trip where time matters more than usual, the hours saved flying are worth more than the dollars saved driving.

Compare flight prices for all these routes on our LAX trips page.