# Flying to Colton CA

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-to-colton-ca/748377>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 9, 2016, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-to-colton-ca/748377 "2016-03-09T05:42:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 12\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-to-colton-ca/748377/1 "2016-03-09T05:42:54Z")

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I need to get to Colton CA for a work conference, do people usually fly into Los Angeles and drive? It looks like there are a lot of airports in the area but I don’t know if any major airlines service any of them. Would a resident of Colton fly into San Bernardino or someplace else?

Thanks

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**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-to-colton-ca/748377/2 "2016-03-09T05:47:39Z")

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I would fly into Ontario, California if you can get a flight into there, then get a car.

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**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-to-colton-ca/748377/3 "2016-03-09T05:52:06Z")

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Several [major airlines fly into the Ontario, CA airport](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ontario_International_Airport#Airlines_and_destinations). Southwest in particular has a substantial presence.

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**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-to-colton-ca/748377/4 "2016-03-09T06:40:15Z")

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> [@Iggy](#):
>
> Several [major airlines fly into the Ontario, CA airport](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ontario_International_Airport#Airlines_and_destinations). Southwest in particular has a substantial presence.

Most connections are through Phoenix or Las Vegas; be aware if you get a late flight in there is a good chance that your connecting flight will be overbooked or will leave if your flight is delayed, leaving you stranded there for the night.

Stranger

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**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-to-colton-ca/748377/5 "2016-03-09T06:51:15Z")

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Thanks everyone  
Ontario is the hub. That’s the info I was looking for.

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**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-to-colton-ca/748377/6 "2016-03-09T06:51:40Z")

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I’m going to disagree about Vegas and Phoenix. These are big hubs with tons of flights and for the most part uniformly good weather. With the exception of Vegas on a big holiday weekend, flights are pretty much on time. I’ve had good experiences and I fly through these airports several times a year.

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**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-to-colton-ca/748377/7 "2016-03-09T06:55:29Z")

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Ontario is sort of the redheaded stepchild of LA-area airports. I would suggest you pay attention to the on-time record of the flights when you book them, depending how tight your schedule is.

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**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-to-colton-ca/748377/8 "2016-03-09T07:03:20Z")

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If your connection to ontario is overbooked, burbank is a nice little airport not too much further away. Avoid lax at all costs.

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**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-to-colton-ca/748377/9 "2016-03-09T07:06:25Z")

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> [@TSBG](#):
>
> I’m going to disagree about Vegas and Phoenix. These are big hubs with tons of flights and for the most part uniformly good weather. With the exception of Vegas on a big holiday weekend, flights are pretty much on time. I’ve had good experiences and I fly through these airports several times a year.

Yes, but there are limited flights into Ontario, and the delays from previous legs of the connecting flight add up. I’ve been stuck in Phoenix overnight three times in the last year because the flight was overbooked or my connecting flight was delayed, in one case by no more than half an hour. I’ve learned not to get the last flight out of the night after spending too many nights getting into the Drury Inn at midnight and being stuck on the next flight out at 0600.

Stranger

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**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-to-colton-ca/748377/10 "2016-03-09T07:09:39Z")

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> [@snfaulkner](#):
>
> If your connection to ontario is overbooked, burbank is a nice little airport not too much further away. Avoid lax at all costs.

Burbank is easy to get through, but a pain in the ass to get to and from. Going through Ontario is the obvious choice for the o.p., with the backup being Orange County/John Wayne.

Agreed that LAX is terrible in pretty much every way imaginable. I only fly from there when going to the East Coast and I can get a direct flight, or when traveling internationally.

Stranger

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**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-to-colton-ca/748377/11 "2016-03-09T07:20:01Z")

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Burbank’s probably the distant second choice here–I love it, but it’s around the corner for me, and flights are more expensive. Third choice is any other. Getting to Colton from any of Long Beach/OC/LAX is probably a tossup. OC and LB are smaller, easier airports but farther away, LAX is congested but has more flights and closer but traffic might be worse. Bottom line is that Ontario airport is all around best.

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**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-to-colton-ca/748377/12 "2016-03-09T07:58:32Z")

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I live about ~15 min from Colton (in Riverside), and flying anywhere, Ontario is definitely my first choice.
