Drive or Fly: Fontana, CA to Ridgecrest, 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–BFL. At 116 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 24m

Distance

116.4 mi

Total Cost

$61

CO2

47 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$26

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

4h 27m

13m in the air

Air Distance

107 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

27 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fontana, CA → ONT 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BFL → Ridgecrest, CA 119m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

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

Ridgecrest, CA BFL — Meadows Field 79 mi, ~119m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ONT and BFL. 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

3h 29m

1h 18m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0900

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 78m

Arrival 10m

Barstow Station (UBR) → Ridgecrest, CA 95m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

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

To UBR — Barstow Station 63 mi, ~95m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~21/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	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 24m	4h 27m	3h 29m
Total cost (1 person)	$61	$124	$6
Carbon footprint	47 kg CO₂	27 kg CO₂	3 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 16, 2026.

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