Drive or Fly: Fontana, CA to Palm Desert, 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–PSP. At 75 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 28m

Distance

75.9 mi

Total Cost

$52

CO2

31 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$17

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 39m

8m in the air

Air Distance

66 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

17 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fontana, CA → ONT 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PSP → Palm Desert, CA 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

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

Palm Desert, CA PSP — Palm Springs International Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ONT and PSP. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 5m

1h 15m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US1000

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 75m

Arrival 10m

Indio Bus Station (IDO6) → Palm Desert, CA 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

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

To IDO6 — Indio Bus Station 9 mi, ~14m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 28m	2h 39m	2h 5m
Total cost (1 person)	$52	$123	$8
Carbon footprint	31 kg CO₂	17 kg CO₂	4 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: 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 13, 2026.

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