Drive or Fly: Rancho Cucamonga, 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 ONT–ONT. At 10 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

17m

Distance

10.2 mi

Total Cost

$37

CO2

4 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$2

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 26m

1m in the air

Air Distance

9 mi

Total Cost

$120

CO2

2 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rancho Cucamonga, CA → ONT 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 1m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ONT → Fontana, CA 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $120) $120

Airports

Rancho Cucamonga, CA ONT — Ontario International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ONT and ONT. 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

1h 46m

45m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rancho Cucamonga, CA → Ontario Amtrak 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 45m

Arrival 10m

San Bernardino → Fontana, CA 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From Ontario Amtrak 4 mi, ~10m drive

To San Bernardino 7 mi, ~11m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 21m

35m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US0900

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rancho Cucamonga, CA → Montclair Transcenter (CMC6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 35m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From CMC6 — Montclair Transcenter 6 mi, ~10m drive

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

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	17m	2h 26m	1h 46m	1h 21m
Total cost (1 person)	$37	$120	$4	$2
Carbon footprint	4 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	1 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 Rancho Cucamonga, CA to Fontana, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.