Drive or Fly: Fontana, CA to Chowchilla, 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–MCE. At 301 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 39m

Distance

301.4 mi

Total Cost

$102

CO2

122 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$67

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 14m

32m in the air

Air Distance

263 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

67 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fontana, CA → ONT 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 32m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCE → Chowchilla, CA 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Chowchilla, CA MCE — Merced Regional Macready Field 18 mi, ~27m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ONT and MCE. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 25m 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	5h 39m	3h 14m
Total cost (1 person)	$102	$186
Carbon footprint	122 kg CO₂	67 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

301.4 mi 5h 39m

via CA 99, I 5 Truck, CA 210

Alternative (+16 min)

310 mi 5h 55m

via CA 99, CA 58, US 395

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