Drive or Fly: Wrightwood, CA to Riverside, 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–SBD. At 42 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

54m

Distance

42.8 mi

Total Cost

$44

CO2

17 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$9

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 56m

4m in the air

Air Distance

31 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

8 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wrightwood, CA → ONT 32m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SBD → Riverside, CA 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Wrightwood, CA ONT — Ontario International Airport 21 mi, ~32m drive

Riverside, CA SBD — San Bernardino International Airport 14 mi, ~20m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ONT and SBD. 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 59m

40m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wrightwood, CA → Claremont Amtrak Station 29m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 40m

Arrival 10m

Riverside → Riverside, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From Claremont Amtrak Station 19 mi, ~29m drive

To Riverside 2 mi, ~10m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	54m	2h 56m	1h 59m
Total cost (1 person)	$44	$121	$4
Carbon footprint	17 kg CO₂	8 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 — 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

42.8 mi 54m

via I 215, Lone Pine Canyon Road, I 15; US 66 Hist

Shortest (+6 min)

41.6 mi 1h 0m

via Riverside Avenue, Lone Pine Canyon Road, I 15; US 66 Hist

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