Drive or Fly: Fontana, CA to Susanville, 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–RNO. At 533 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

10h 54m

Distance

533.6 mi

Total Cost

$299

CO2

216 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$119

Hotel (1 room, 1 night) $110

Meals (1 pax, 2 days) $70

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

− Requires 2 days of driving

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

5h 10m

57m in the air

Air Distance

471 mi

Total Cost

$194

CO2

120 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fontana, CA → ONT 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 57m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RNO → Susanville, CA 118m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $139) $139

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Susanville, CA RNO — Reno Tahoe International Airport 79 mi, ~118m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 5h 44m 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	10h 54m	5h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$299	$194
Carbon footprint	216 kg CO₂	120 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 12, 2026.

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