Drive or Fly: Fontana, CA to Ukiah, 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

10h 3m

Distance

533.1 mi

Total Cost

$281

CO2

215 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$101

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

4h 26m

57m in the air

Air Distance

474 mi

Total Cost

$194

CO2

121 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fontana, CA → ONT 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 57m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

STS → Ukiah, CA 74m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $139) $139

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Ukiah, CA STS — Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport 49 mi, ~74m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

100.0%

+ Saves about 5h 37m 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	10h 3m	4h 26m
Total cost (1 person)	$281	$194
Carbon footprint	215 kg CO₂	121 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 Jul 19, 2026.

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