Ontario (California) - Ontario (California)

Ontario is in San Bernardino County and the Southern California region of California, more than 35 miles (50 km) east of Los Angeles. From a traveler's perspective, Ontario is noteworthy mainly as the home of a large mall and the Ontario International Airport, a less crowded alternative to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and the main airport serving the Inland Empire.

Get in

Map of Ontario (California)

By plane

  • 1 Ontario International Airport (ONT IATA), 1923 East Avion Street, ☏ 1 909 937-2700. The regional airport for commercial flights serving the Inland Empire and the eastern part of the greater Los Angeles area. It is less busy and quieter than LAX. The airport is 2 mi (3.2 km) east of Ontario's Business District off of I-10 at the Archibald Ave/Ontario Airport (Exit #55/55A) and the Haven Ave (Exit #56) exits. LA/Ontario International Airport (Q949831) on Wikidata Ontario International Airport on Wikipedia (updated Sep 2019)

There are two terminals for commercial flights, numbered 2 & 4:

  • Terminal 1: The USO is in the (old) Terminal 1 building for military personnel and their families transiting into or out of the area. The International Arrivals terminal is in a separate building for international flights from El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico and Taiwan. There is a free shuttle bus from the old terminal 1 and international arrivals to Terminal 2 & 4.
  • Terminal 2: Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air (Gates 205 & 206), Delta/Delta Connection (Gate 208), Frontier (Gate 210), JetBlue, United/United Express (Gates 201-203), Volaris (Departures); China Airlines (Gate 212)
  • Terminal 4: American/American Eagle (Gates 408 & 410) and Southwest (Gates 401-407)
  • 2 Car Rental Terminal ... at 3450 E Airport Dr in the NE Corner of the airport grounds at E Airport Dr & N Haven. From Terminals 2 & 4 there is a frequent and free shuttle bus going over to the consolidated car rental terminal to pick up a rental car. If renting from Fox they will send their shuttle to pick up customers at the consolidated car rental terminal instead of the airline terminals. For a better rate on car rentals it is best to shop around and reserve a car online or over the phone prior to arrival. A private car is a convenient way to get around locally and for going out to remote locales such as Joshua Tree.

By public transit, OmniTrans Rt#80 goes north from the airport towards Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga along Vineyard, Carnelian St and E 19th via the Ontario Convention Center. OmniTrans Rt#61 goes north from the airport towards Fontana Metrolink Station long Archibald, 4th/San Bernardino St and Sierra via the Ontario Mills Mall and west toward the Pomona Transit Center along Holt via Civic Center. The #81 bus passes by the east side of the airport grounds while traveling between Chino Transit Center & Chaffey college along Haven (via Ontario Mills Mall) & E Riverside Dr. This bus does not serve the airport terminals and the East Ontario Metrolink Station (nearest Metrolink Station at Haven & E Francis).

By car

Ontario is located along Interstate 10 (I-10), west of the Interstate 10 & 15 junction, approximately 37 mi east of Los Angeles (39 min), 24 mi (25 min) west of San Bernardino, 71 mi (1 hr) west of Palm Springs, and 114 mi (2hr 14min) northeast of San Diego (off of Interstate 15):

  • From Los Angeles, simply take I-10 (San Bernardino Fwy) eastbound. If coming from Palm Springs and San Bernardino, travel westbound on I-10. Ontario is accessed from exits 49 ("Central Ave") through 59 ("Etiwanda Ave") along I-10. Ontario does not have a clearly defined downtown except the neighborhood northeast of the intersection of Euclid Ave & Holt Blvd, as that is where city hall and other city government functions are located at. To get there, exit off at the Euclid Ave (California State Route 83)/Upland off-ramp at exit 51 and go south along Euclid Ave to Holt Blvd. Likewise, one can also go eastbound on California State Route 60 (SR 60) which goes east-west along the south side of town. From SR 60 (Pomona Fwy), Ontario is accessed from exits 34 ("Mountain Ave") through 41 ("Milliken Ave/Hamner Ave").
  • From San Diego, go northbound on I-15 to SR 60 at exit 106, or the next one up at I-10 at exit 109. Travel westbound on SR 60 or I-10 to get to Ontario.

By train

Ontario has two train stations. 3 East Ontario station is served daily by the Metrolink Riverside Line, connecting with Union Station in downtown Los Angeles. 4 Ontario Amtrak sees trains just three times a week, when the Sunset Limited between Los Angeles and New Orleans (with through-cars towards Chicago on the Texas Eagle) make a shot stop there.

By bus

  • 5 Flixbus, (bus stop) Moreno and Lindero Ave at 5060 Montclair Plaza Ln (bus will board north of the Montclair Place Mall on Moreno St.; the bus will be in front of the three benches that are west of the utility post with the sign that says, “No Parking Between Signs”), ☏ 1 855 626-8585. Connects Los Angeles and Anaheim to Las Vegas and Phoenix through Ontario and Barstow (updated Jun 2018)
  • 6 Greyhound & Cruceros-USA, depot at 888 S Indian Hill Blvd, Claremont (NE of the intersection of Indian Hill Blvd & American in neighboring Claremont, south of Exit #47 from I-10), ☏ 1 909 624-4564, toll-free: 1 800 231-2222. Greyhound operates along Interstate 10 (San Bernardino, Phoenix, Tucson & El Paso); I-10/I-15 (San Bernardino, Barstow & Las Vegas). They also have an additional bus stop at Carl's Jr at 1625 E 4th St. (updated Apr 2016)
  • 7 Hoang Express, (Bus stop) Jack in the Box at 4351 Ontario Mills Pkwy (along N Millikan Ave & Inland Empire SW of the Ontario Mills Mall parking lot), ☏ 1 714 839-3500, 1 408 729-7885, toll-free: 1 888 834-9336. Travels between SoCal (San Diego, El Monte, Los Angeles, Westminster) and Arizona (Phoenix, Chandler and Tempe). (updated Nov 2015)
  • 8 Tufesa, depot at 642 E Francis St (SW of the intersection E Francis & Campus), ☏ 1 909 986-8372. Connects Los Angles to Sacramento (via Bakersfield, Fresno, etc); to Salt Lake City (via Barstow, Las Vegas, St George, etc); to Hermosillo (via Phoenix, Tucson, Nogales); to San Francisco Bay Area (Stockton, San Jose, San Francisco & Oakland); and to Tijuana (via Santa Ana, San Diego/San Ysidro). They also have a depot in Fontana at 16803 Valley Blvd Suite C.. 

Get around

Aerial view of freeways, Ontario CA

There are car rental agencies at the airport.

See

  • 1 Museum of History and Art, 225 South Euclid Ave (S Euclid Ave & E Transit St, one block north of Ontario Amtrak), ☏ 1 909 983-3198. W-Su noon-4PM. 
  • 2 Ontario Convention Center, 2000 E Convention Center Way (near airport at E Convention Center Way & Holt Blvd, north of the railroad tracks from airport), ☏ 1 909 937-3000. The convention center hosts various events and exhibitions throughout the year such as the NACAC Annual College Fair. It was also the filming location for Yes Man (2008) and Due Date (2010) and for various TV commercials. (updated Sep 2016)

Do

  • 1 Scandia, 1155 S. Wanamaker Ave (Wanamaker Ave & E Wall St. E Jurupa St exit from I-15 in Ontario (Exit #108)), ☏ 1 909 390-3092. Amusement park with rides and mini-golf. 

Buy

  • 1 Ontario Mills Mall, 1 Mills Circle (NW of the I-10 & I-15 junction; go north on Millikan Ave from I-10 or go west on 4th Ave from I-15), ☏ 1 909 947-1981. M-Sa 10AM-9PM, Su 10AM-8PM. One of the largest single-story malls on the West Coast, abundant in stores. 

Eat

Drink

Sleep

Go next

Routes through Ontario
Los Angeles ← Pomona ← W Amtrak Sunset Limited icon.pngAmtrak Texas Eagle icon.png E → Palm Springs → Tucson
Los Angeles ← Upland ← W I-10.svg E → Rancho Cucamonga → San Bernardino
Barstow ← Rancho Cucamonga ← N I-15.svg S → Corona → San Diego
Los Angeles ← Chino ← W California 60.svg E → Rubidoux → Riverside
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