Gas budget for a round trip between LA and LV (Los Angeles: rental car, rental)

[Laurentt]

Hello guys,

I am French and I am planning a trip in California. Could you please let me know how much gas you need for a round trip between Los Angeles and Las Vegas ? How much would it cost for the gas ?

Thanks,

Laurent

[EscapeCalifornia]

Google Maps says its 530 miles round trip between downtown Los Angeles and Las Vegas. If you get 30mpg from a 4 cylinder rental car, that's 17.7 gallons of gasoline. At $3.00/gallon, that'll cost you $53.

[ferretkona]

With the drive time and fuel it is kind of cheaper to fly, Southwest has those $49 flights.

[bhcompy]

Originally Posted by ferretkona

With the drive time and fuel it is kind of cheaper to fly, Southwest has those $49 flights.

If you are alone, yes

[ferretkona]

Originally Posted by bhcompy

If you are alone, yes

I am not fond of the 5 hour drive to vegas, then a 6 to 8 hour return.
I stay at the Hard Rock, they pick me up at the airport for free and shuttle around town till 11pm.

[bhcompy]

Originally Posted by ferretkona

I am not fond of the 5 hour drive to vegas, then a 6 to 8 hour return.
I stay at the Hard Rock, they pick me up at the airport for free and shuttle around town till 11pm.

But it becomes less cost efficient the more people you have. Which was my point

[coyoteskye]

Originally Posted by ferretkona

With the drive time and fuel it is kind of cheaper to fly, Southwest has those $49 flights.

Maybe he/she wants the experience of driving which is understandable.

[BlackShoe]

Looking at his earlier posts,Laurentt lives on the Westside,so the gas bill would be a bit higher.Without knowing what size vehicle he will be using,we can only make a rough estimate.With no delays,lets say 10 gallons up,5 gallons local driving in LV,and 10 gallons back,so 25 gallons at $3.00 would be $75.If he makes the trip on the dreadful Friday afternoon up and Sunday night back usual pattern,fuel consumption and time on the road will both go up sharply due to heavy traffic which is normal on these days.

[jdavid93225]

Originally Posted by Laurentt

Hello guys,

I am French and I am planning a trip in California. Could you please let me know how much gas you need for a round trip between Los Angeles and Las Vegas ? How much would it cost for the gas ?

Thanks,

Laurent

All the replies so far have been reasonable, but something you will want to consider is the route you will be taking. Are you planning to see anything else along the way? Perhaps a drive out to Lake Mead or Red Rock Canyon? If so, you'll probably want to increase your fuel budget accordingly.

In general, I figure the distance to be about 300 miles each way from the L.A. area to the Las Vegas area when taking I-15 for the majority of the trip. It can vary by 50 miles or more, depending on where you start and stop your trip, and by even more than that if you decide to take a different route for some reason. In very general terms, since most cars get at least 300 miles per fillup, I would say a tank of gas to get there, another to get around while there, and a third to get back to L.A. Depending on fuel efficiency, the amount of fuel consumed can vary greatly.

[AKgirlinCA]

Little tip about making this drive...
If you're leaving on a Friday...you need to leave at the very latest by 10 am. If you're returning on a Sunday....leave Vegas by at least 11am.