Drive or Fly: Palo Alto, CA to Fontana, 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 SQL–ONT. At 401 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

7h 36m

Distance

401 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

162 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$89

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

3h 9m

42m in the air

Air Distance

351 mi

Total Cost

$189

CO2

89 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Palo Alto, CA → SQL 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 42m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ONT → Fontana, CA 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $134) $134

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Palo Alto, CA SQL — San Carlos Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 4h 27m 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	7h 36m	3h 9m
Total cost (1 person)	$124	$189
Carbon footprint	162 kg CO₂	89 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 13, 2026.

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