Drive or Fly: Fontana, CA to Brea, 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 ONT–LGB. At 37 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

46m

Distance

37 mi

Total Cost

$43

CO2

15 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$8

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

2h 43m

4m in the air

Air Distance

29 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

7 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fontana, CA → ONT 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LGB → Brea, CA 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Fontana, CA ONT — Ontario International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

Brea, CA LGB — Long Beach International Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ONT and LGB. 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

2h 39m

1h 38m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fontana, CA → San Bernardino 11m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 98m

Arrival 10m

Fullerton Amtrak Station → Brea, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From San Bernardino 7 mi, ~11m drive

To Fullerton Amtrak Station 4 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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

− Limited schedule — about 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 11m

1h 23m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0900

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fontana, CA → San Bernardino Depot (SBN6) 11m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 83m

Arrival 10m

Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ANA6) → Brea, CA 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From SBN6 — San Bernardino Depot 7 mi, ~11m drive

To ANA6 — Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center 8 mi, ~12m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	46m	2h 43m	2h 39m	2h 11m
Total cost (1 person)	$43	$121	$8	$4
Carbon footprint	15 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	2 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, FlixBus 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Fontana, CA to Brea, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.