Ontario

Ontario is in San Bernardino County and the Southern California region, 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

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. (updated Sep 2019)

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

• Terminal 1: The 2 Bobe Hope USO is in the (old) Terminal 1 building for military personnel and their families transiting into or out of the area. Terminal 1 is also the location of the airport administration offices.The 3 International Arrivals terminal is in a separate building next to Terminal 1 for arrivals from El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico and Taiwan. There is a free shuttle bus from the old terminal 1 and international arrivals to Terminals 2 & 4. International departures with Avianca, China Airlines and Volaris are at Terminal 2.
• Terminal 2: Avianca El Salvador, Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air (Gates 205 & 206), Delta/Delta Connection (Gates 207-209); Frontier (Gate 210 & 211); JetBlue (Gate 203), United/United Express (Gates 201-203); Volaris; China Airlines (Gate 212).
• Terminal 4: American/American Eagle (Gates 408 & 410); Hawaiian (Gate 401), Southwest (Gates 403-407), and New Pacific (Chartered only) (Gate 413).
• 4 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 61 goes east and west between Fontana and Pomona (via Civic Center, Airport, Ontario Mills) while the ONT Connect (380) operates a direct non-stop route to the Rancho Cucamonga Metrolink Station. The bus stops for the #61 and 380 (ONT Connect) buses are located at the far right (east) next to Terminals 2 & 4 where the access road merges into the main E Terminal Way, past the taxi stands. The #81 bus goes north and south connecting Chaffey College to the East Ontario Metrolink Station along Haven Ave (via Ontario Mills Mall). It passes by the Airport at S Haven & Airport Dr and does NOT go to the airport terminals. Bus stops are along Haven Dr, SW & NE of its intersection with Airport Dr.

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):

• San Bernardino Freeway Interstate 10 connects Los Angeles to Coachella Valley (Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Indio), through Ontario and San Bernardino. 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. There are 9 exits into Ontario from I-10.
• From San Diego, go northbound on I-15, through Riverside. Ontario is accessed from exits 103 ("Limonite Ave") through 110 ("4th St") along I-15. There are six exits into Ontario from I-15.
• Pomona Freeway connects from Los Angeles to Beumont where it merges into I-10, though Ontario and Riverside. Ontario is accessed from exits 34 ("Mountain Ave") through 41 ("Milliken Ave/Hamner Ave").
• & W Foothill Blvd goes east-west does through Claremont, Upland and Rancho Cucamonga, north of Ontario, which does not go through Ontario. From W Foothill Blvd, there are multiple north south roads between N Benson Ave and I-15 one can take (go south on) to get into Ontario.
• Euclid Ave goes north-south through Ontario between Old US Route 66 in Upland to CA-71 south of town. From the junction of CA-81 and 71, one can continue south to get to
• Riverside Freeway connects the Inland Empire (at its junction with I-15 and 215) to Torrance through Santa Ana and Anaheim in Orange County. Getting to Ontario one can exit off of the 91 via the 71 (at Exit 45) and 83 (Euclid Ave) or continue to the 15 (Exit 51) and go north on the 15 to the 10 or 60.

By train

Ontario has two train stations. 5 East Ontario station is served daily only by the Metrolink Riverside Line, connecting Union Station in downtown Los Angeles to Riverside. 6 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 stop here. Nearest cross platform transfer station between Amtrak and Metrolink trains is only in Pomona.

By bus

• 7 El Corre Caminos, (office) 16056 Valley Blvd Suite D, Fontana (at strip mall NW of Valley Blvd & Citrus Av, north of Exit #63 of I-10 in Fontana.), ☏ +1 909 428-8513. Daily 5:30AM to 6PM. Goes up to Fontana through Perris from San Ysidro (at the border) and Tijuana Airport. They also have an Ontario stop at 4th and Vineyard. Inquire for specific location(s) and appointments which may be required for pick-up and drop-off at 4th & Vineyard. (updated Aug 2020)
• 8 Flixbus, (bus stop) Claremont Transit Center at 282 E 1st (bus will board at the very first bay inside the Claremont Transit Center (furthest west of the bays). The Transit Center is one block east from the Claremont Metrolink Station.), ☏ +1 855 626-8585. Connects Los Angeles and Anaheim to Las Vegas and Phoenix through Ontario and Barstow (updated Jun 2018)
• 9 Greyhound & Cruceros-USA, (Bus stop) Montclair Transit Center & Metrolink Station at 5060 Richton St (bus stop along Richton St between Central & Monte Vista Ave, north of I-10.), toll-free: +1-800-231-2222. Greyhound operates along Interstate 10 (Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Phoenix, Tucson & El Paso); I-10/I-15 (Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Barstow & Las Vegas). Tickets are not available for purchase at this stop, however; they must be bought in advance online or at the nearest full-service terminal in San Bernardino or Los Angeles. (updated Apr 2016)
• 10 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 (El Monte, Los Angeles, Westminster) and Arizona (Phoenix, Chandler and Tempe). (updated Nov 2015)
• Las Vegas Shuttle, (Bus stops) Chevron at 1090 Ontario Mills Dr for going to L.A. or AM/PM at 5020 E 4th St for going to Las Vegas, ☏ +1 702 642-0007. Connects Las Vegas to San Ysidro & Tijuana on one route and to Los Angeles on another. Their shuttles running between Las Vegas and San Diego/Tijuana stop in Hesperia and San Bernardino. Prearrangements for pick-up and drop-off at these locations may be required. Check tickets or ask to confirm pick-up and drop-off locations. (updated Aug 2020)
• 11 Tufesa, (office) 1739 S Euclid Suite G (along east side of S Euclid (SR-83), between Francis & Maple. Door 'G' in north building of parking lot.), ☏ +1 909 986-8372. Connects Los Angeles 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. 

See By bus under Get in of the San Bernardino article for a list of additional bus and shuttle companies serving the area.

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), ☏ +1 909-395-2510. Th-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)

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. 

Sleep

• 1 Azure Hotel & Suites, Trademark Collection by Wyndham, 1945 E. Holt Blvd, ☏ +1 909-284-8670. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. An upscale boutique hotel offering free hot breakfast, parking, wireless internet & shuttle service, in-room microwave and refrigerator. 
• 2 Best Western Ontario Airport, 209 N Vineyard Ave, ☏ +1 909 937-6800, fax: +1 909 937-6815. 
• 3 Days Inn Ontario - Airport, 1405 E. 4th St, ☏ +1 909 983-7411. 
• 4 Holiday Inn Express Rancho Cucamonga, 9589 Milliken Ave,Rancho Cucamonga, ☏ +1 909 581-3846. 
• 5 Ramada Ontario Airport Hotel, 1841 East G St, ☏ +1 909-988-0602. Free wireless internet, complimentary breakfast, outdoor swimming pool and Jacuzzi suites. 
• 6 Residence Inn Ontario Airport, 2025 E Convention Center Way, ☏ +1 909 937-6788, toll-free: +1-800-331-3131, fax: +1 909 937-2462. 
• 7 Rodeway Inn Ontario Mills Mall, 4075 E. Guasti Rd, ☏ +1 909-390-8886. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 11AM. Spacious rooms. Free high-speed wireless Internet access and free local calls, Pay-Per-View movies. In-room microwave and refrigerator. 
• 8 Sheraton Ontario Airport Hotel, 429 N Vineyard Ave, ☏ +1 909 937-8000. (updated Nov 2019)
• 9 Holiday Inn Ontario, 2155 East Convention Center Way. 

Go next

Routes through Ontario

Los Angeles ← Pomona ←	W  E	→ Palm Springs → Tucson
Los Angeles ← Upland ←	W  E	→ Rancho Cucamonga → San Bernardino
Barstow ← Rancho Cucamonga ←	N  S	→ Corona → San Diego
Los Angeles ← Chino ←	W  E	→ Rubidoux → Riverside