Skip to main content
US Trip Planner Logo
US Trip Planner

Drive or Fly: Albany, CA to Fontana, CA?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Could go either way

Medium

This distance is a toss-up. Drive if you want flexibility and lower cost, fly if you value time. Connecting flights add time.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 51m

Distance

422.9 mi

Total Cost

$134

CO2

171 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$99
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
− Driver fatigue on longer stretches
− Wear and tear on vehicle
− Fuel price fluctuations
Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 18m

45m in the air

Air Distance

378 mi

Total Cost

$190

CO2

96 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Albany, CA → OAK 18m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 45m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
ONT → Fontana, CA 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $135) $135
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Albany, CA OAK — Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive
Fontana, CA ONT — Ontario International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

100.0%

+ Saves about 4h 33m compared to driving
+ Less physical fatigue
+ Predictable arrival time
− Airport security and check-in overhead
− 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 7h 51m 3h 18m
Total cost (1 person) $134 $190
Carbon footprint 171 kg CO2 96 kg CO2
Flexibility High Low
Luggage Unlimited Restricted
Reliability Weather dependent 100% on-time
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 Sep 11, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest
422.9 mi 7h 51m

via I 5, I 580, I 5 Truck

Alternative (+56 min)
454.7 mi 8h 47m

via US 101; CA 156, CA 46, I 5 Truck

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