How is Ontario, CA airport?
 

Hi - we are heading to palm desert in February. Last time we went we flew non-stop Boston to LAX. The travel on the road was awful and it wasn't even rush hour. So we are searching cost effective ways to get there with little stress. We live near Providence and Southwest flies to ONT. How is the driving from there to Palm Desert. I know the distance is easy but how about traffic? Thanks for any input.
sue

As with anything else in Southern California, traffic would depend on your time of arrival.

However, since you are heading out towards the desert, the worst part of the traffic should be right from the airport eastward to San Bernardino.

I've flown into Ontario Airport many times and find that the traffic on I-10 is pretty busy regardless of what time of day. Peak traffic hours, naturally, are the worst.

Once past San Bernardino, you should be fine. Should take you about an hour and a half to get to Palm Desert.

One caution note: even if you pick up the car at the Ontario airport terminal, the return area is normally somewhere off the airport premises. Make sure you get good maps and directions on where to return the car. The car rental companies have numerous shuttles running back to the airport.

Have a great trip! :)

Ontario Airport is a great airport. Easy to get in and out. The 60 and 10 Fwys can be busy but not bad when off of rush hour. There is always traffic in S. CA but livable when not during rush hour.

Have you thought of going from PRV or BOS direct into Palm Springs, PSP? You would be 20 minutes from Palm Desert.

Flying into Palm Springs is usually a lot more than Ontario (could be 50% higher maybe). You could price both from Boston just to check.

Unless you can get some sort of weird discount, flying into Palm Springs will be much more expensive. Ontario is a great airport - I always check fares into Ontario and Burbank before booking a flight into LAX - even if I'm going to LA "proper".

Easy in/easy out and just a lot less hassle than LAX every which way . . . . .

Okay, I just did some checks. Flying from BOS to PSP was actually $20.- cheaper than to ONT for some August dates. Check both airports for your dates.

Okay I checked some Feb 2008 dates. ONT is $130.- cheaper than PSP. I figured out why flying to Palm Springs in August is cheap: it's off season and very hot!

because no one w/ any sense goes to Palm Springs in August :)

We've flown into both, most recently into Palm Springs last November at which times the prices were comparable.

Hi - you guys are great. I have thought of flying into Palm Springs and will stil research that more if the prices are comparable. The difference for us is that to go into palm springs we need to go out of Boston and that can rival LA's traffic. So we usually go stay overnight and that is another cost. If I can go out of Providence with Southwest (1 stop) it will probably save us money and aggravation. BUT I will keep checking. Thanks for all the input. Traffic is always tough but it sounds like Ontario is a lot more doable.
sue

I would agree with your choice.

Avoid Boston Logan at one end and LAX at the other end. :)

janisj - I must have no sense :-)

We live in Orange County and I do not mind going in August - I enjoy the spas - and lay by the pool and then have a nice dinner. Dh golfs early and the dry heat is not bad :-)

dawnnoelm: and you don't have crowds or expensive hotel rooms either :)

But OMG - golf - in PS - in <b>August</b>!! me personally, I'd rather be in Scotland . . . . . .

janisj - I know.. you would think we are trailor trash :-) LOL - dh golfs - not me! I guess I should add we have four children that we run away from to go there - might make for a stronger insanity plea ;-)

sueoz, My family lives in PS (since '57). We have a lot of winter guests. As rude as it might seem, if they come into the Ontario airport we do not offer to pick them up. They can rent a car and drive through the traffic themselves. I'd rather pay the extra $130.00 for them to fly into PSP than face two hours+ in each direction on hwy 10. The one way distance between Ontario airport and Palm Springs airport is 72 miles. Palm Desert is another 18 miles from Palm Springs airport. If you must drive try hwy 60 from Ontario to Beaumont where you intersect hwy 10 just west of PS.

It's not two hours driving time Ontario to Palm Springs. An hour to 1.5 hours is about right.

I've done this many times (although I too fly into Palm Springs if the price is right). It's definitely 2 hrs when you factor in the miles (even driving 80 mph) and the car rental (shuttle, waiting in line, etc.) I'd still do it if the price were right, but there's no question Palm Springs is waaaay more convenient.

dmlove-Well you are saying it's 2 hours if you factor in the rental car wait. Obviously you will to plan time to get your rental car but driving time is still around 1.5 hours unless you hit some traffic.

sueoz-What time of day are you thinking about flying into Ontario? Is it a weekend or weekday? Weekends (not including Friday night) should be no problem with traffic. Usually the worst traffic on I10 is from Ontario to about Redlands-after that you will be driving full speed.

If you can save money and avoid Boston and LAX airports, I would definitely fly into Ontario. It's a relatively new airport, very nice and easy to get in and out of.

In the winter we can get non-stops from my hometown to Palm Springs. Well worth the extra money! Other times of the year we would need to change planes in SFO or LAX; then I prefer the non-stop to Ontario. I hate some of the freeway interchanges going east/north from the Ontario airport. Instead, I take surface streets north to Foothill Blvd, which is old route 66. I stay on it PAST I-15, until I am in the Fontana area. Then I cut down the short distance to I-10 and head out to the desert. Sometimes I even wait to get on I-10 until I am past San Bernadino.
It might take a little longer, but it's less stressful.