Drive or Fly: Lake Los Angeles, CA to Santa Ana, 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–SNA. At 94 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 59m

Distance

94.9 mi

Total Cost

$56

CO2

38 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$21

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

3h 18m

7m in the air

Air Distance

60 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

15 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake Los Angeles, CA → ONT 61m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SNA → Santa Ana, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Lake Los Angeles, CA ONT — Ontario International Airport 41 mi, ~61m drive

Santa Ana, CA SNA — John Wayne Orange County International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ONT and SNA. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 26m

2h 5m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0900

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake Los Angeles, CA → Victorville Bus Stop (VTT6) 46m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 125m

Arrival 10m

Santa Ana Bus Stop (SAN6) → Santa Ana, CA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From VTT6 — Victorville Bus Stop 31 mi, ~46m drive

To SAN6 — Santa Ana Bus Stop 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 59m	3h 18m	3h 26m
Total cost (1 person)	$56	$122	$7
Carbon footprint	38 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂	4 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: 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 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

94.9 mi 1h 59m

via CA 138, I 15, CA 60

Alternative (+3 min)

95.4 mi 2h 2m

via CA 138, I 15, CA 91

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Lake Los Angeles, CA to Santa Ana, CA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.