Drive or Fly: Shasta Lake, 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 RDD–ONT. At 595 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

10h 56m

Distance

595.8 mi

Total Cost

$312

CO2

241 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$132

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

3h 38m

1h 4m in the air

Air Distance

530 mi

Total Cost

$196

CO2

135 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Shasta Lake, CA → RDD 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 64m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ONT → Fontana, CA 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $141) $141

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Shasta Lake, CA RDD — Redding Municipal Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 7h 18m 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 56m	3h 38m
Total cost (1 person)	$312	$196
Carbon footprint	241 kg CO₂	135 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 Shasta Lake, CA to Fontana, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.