Drive or Fly: Piñon Hills, CA to Anaheim, 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–SNA. At 71 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 29m

Distance

71.3 mi

Total Cost

$51

CO2

29 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$16

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

3h 1m

5m in the air

Air Distance

44 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Piñon Hills, CA → ONT 39m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SNA → Anaheim, CA 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Piñon Hills, CA ONT — Ontario International Airport 26 mi, ~39m drive

Anaheim, CA SNA — John Wayne Orange County International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ONT and SNA. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 27m

3h 5m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

3 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Piñon Hills, CA → Victorville Amtrak 32m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 185m

Arrival 10m

Fullerton Amtrak Station → Anaheim, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From Victorville Amtrak 21 mi, ~32m drive

To Fullerton Amtrak Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 32m

2h 25m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0900

Door-to-Door Timeline

Piñon Hills, CA → Victorville Bus Stop (VTT6) 32m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 145m

Arrival 10m

Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ANA6) → Anaheim, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From VTT6 — Victorville Bus Stop 21 mi, ~32m drive

To ANA6 — Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center 3 mi, ~10m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 29m	3h 1m	4h 27m	3h 32m
Total cost (1 person)	$51	$122	$12	$7
Carbon footprint	29 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	3 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: Amtrak GTFS, 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

71.3 mi 1h 29m

via I 15, CA 60, CA 138

Alternative (+4 min)

73.8 mi 1h 34m

via I 15, CA 91, CA 138

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