Drive or Fly: Pomona, CA to Los Angeles, 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–HHR. At 29 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

38m

Distance

29.5 mi

Total Cost

$42

CO2

12 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$7

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 32m

3m in the air

Air Distance

28 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

7 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pomona, CA → ONT 13m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HHR → Los Angeles, CA 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Pomona, CA ONT — Ontario International Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

Los Angeles, CA HHR — Jack Northrop Field Hawthorne Municipal Airport 10 mi, ~16m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ONT and HHR. 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

2h 31m

1h 31m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pomona, CA → Pomona Amtrak 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 91m

Arrival 10m

Los Angeles → Los Angeles, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From Pomona Amtrak 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Los Angeles 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~5/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 5 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 20m

35m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

FlixBus 2030

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pomona, CA → Montclair (UMC) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 35m

Arrival 10m

Los Angeles Union Station Arrivals (LUN6) → Los Angeles, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From UMC — Montclair 4 mi, ~10m drive

To LUN6 — Los Angeles Union Station Arrivals 0 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	38m	2h 32m	2h 31m	1h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$42	$121	$6	$3
Carbon footprint	12 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	2 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 12, 2026.

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