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Drive or Fly: Fontana, CA to Grass Valley, 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–SMF. At 486 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

9h 6m

Distance

486.6 mi

Total Cost

$142

CO2

197 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$107
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
− Driver fatigue on longer stretches
− Wear and tear on vehicle
− Fuel price fluctuations
Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

4h 13m

49m in the air

Air Distance

407 mi

Total Cost

$191

CO2

104 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fontana, CA → ONT 15m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 49m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
SMF → Grass Valley, CA 69m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $136) $136
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Fontana, CA ONT — Ontario International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive
Grass Valley, CA SMF — Sacramento International Airport 46 mi, ~69m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 4h 53m 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 9h 6m 4h 13m
Total cost (1 person) $142 $191
Carbon footprint 197 kg CO2 104 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest
486.6 mi 9h 6m

via I 5, I 5 Truck, CA 210

Alternative (+27 min)
494.2 mi 9h 33m

via CA 99, CA 58, US 395

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