Getting around · Ontario
Getting to and from ONT: taxi, rideshare, transit & the cell-phone lot
The quickest way to Ontario airport is usually a taxi or a rideshare: a taxi runs about $80–$120 to Downtown Los Angeles, and Uber & Lyft pick up in a marked pickup zone. Picking someone up instead? Wait free at the Cell Phone Waiting Lot. Below: every way to and from the airport, what it costs, whether to park or grab a ride, and how to fold the drive into your Leave-By Time so you reach security with room to get through the line. Check ONT TSA wait times today before you decide when to leave.
- Terminals
- 2
- Checkpoints
- 2
- PreCheck
- Yes
- CLEAR
- Yes
- Global Entry
- On site
- Wait data
- Predicted
Taxis from ONT — fare and where to find the stand
Typical taxi fare
~$80–$120
to Downtown Los Angeles
Drive time
40–65 min
35 mi to Downtown Los Angeles
A taxi is the simplest door-to-door option and needs no app. Expect about $80–$120 to Downtown Los Angeles on the meter, before tolls and tip — more in heavy traffic.
Baggage claim curb outside each terminal. Yellow Cab 909-622-9600 and other companies. Metered taxis; ~$80-120 to downtown LA (35+ miles). Ontario/Inland Empire destinations are much less: ~$20-35 to downtown Ontario or Rancho Cucamonga.
The ONT cell-phone waiting lot
Picking someone up? Wait free at Cell Phone Waiting Lot. On airport property near the terminal entrance; follow airport signage. Wait there until your traveler texts that they're at the curb, then loop in once. Free waiting lot. Driver must remain with vehicle.
Leaving a car for the trip instead of getting dropped off? It's worth checking the lots: compare ONTparking by price & distance.
Where to catch Uber & Lyft at ONT
Uber and Lyft pick up at the baggage claim level curb outside each terminal; follow TNC/rideshare signage. ONT is about 35 miles from downtown LA; rideshare to central LA is expensive. For LA trips, consider Metrolink at the adjacent airport station.
Dropping off? Drop off on the upper Departures curb; active loading only. ONT has 2 terminals (2, 4), so confirm your airline's before your driver commits to a curb — find your terminal at ONT.
Driving to ONT — routes & drive time
ONT sits about 35 miles from Downtown Los Angeles, a drive of roughly 40–65 minutes via Airport Drive to I-10 west for downtown LA (~35 miles); I-15 and I-10 serve the Inland Empire — closer to the high end at rush hour. That drive time is the first input into your Leave-By Time, so the calculator counts it backward from your flight along with today's security wait and the walk to your gate.
Getting to ONT by train or transit
By rail, your option is Metrolink Inland Empire-Orange County Line and 91/Perris Valley Line — figure about 55 minutes to Downtown Los Angeles. ONT has a free shuttle connecting to the Ontario Airport Metrolink Station (about 0.5 miles away). The Inland Empire-Orange County Line reaches downtown LA Union Station in about 55 minutes. The 91/Perris Valley Line also serves the station for trips east toward Perris and Riverside.
Fare: Free shuttle to Metrolink station. Metrolink fares vary by zone (~$10-15 to downtown LA Union Station).
Hotel and city shuttles to ONT
Hotel courtesy shuttles from the baggage claim curb. Free rental car shuttle runs to the consolidated facility. If a shuttle is part of your plan, add its ride time to your Leave-By Time — it's easy to forget the 15–20 minutes between the curb and the terminal.
Park or ride to ONT?
Here's the math. Parking starts around $10/day, while a round-trip taxi or rideshare to Downtown Los Angeles runs about $200. So a round trip by car comes out ahead once you're away more than about 20 days — for a quick trip, parking usually costs less; for a long one, getting a ride does.
Want the exact trade-off for your dates? compare ONTparking by price & distance — the closest lot isn't always the one that costs the least.
Accessibility and late-night rides at ONT
Free shuttle to Metrolink is accessible. Accessible taxis and rideshare at the baggage claim curb.
Late or overnight arrival? Metrolink has limited late-night/weekend service; taxis and rideshare operate around the clock.
Returning a rental on the way out? Consolidated Rental Car facility on airport property; free shuttle from baggage claim. (We cover where to return a car, not where to book one.)
Pickup zones and curb rules change — we verified ONT's ground-transport details as of June 29, 2026. Always check the in-app pickup pin and posted signs when you land.
Flying out of a nearby airport instead?
If a fare or a schedule points you elsewhere, the closest airport we cover is SNA (Orange County), about 30 miles from ONT in a straight line. The same math on this page — drive time, ride cost, security wait — decides whether the extra distance is worth it.
Other airports nearby
Straight-line distance from ONT — check current waits before switching airports.
Before you go ONT
ONT TSA wait times todaySee today's security wait by checkpoint, then time your ride to the airport.Getting-around FAQ ONT
How much is a taxi to or from ONT?
A metered taxi to Downtown Los Angeles typically runs about $80–$120, before tolls and tip and more in heavy traffic. Baggage claim curb outside each terminal. Yellow Cab 909-622-9600 and other companies.
Where do you catch Uber and Lyft at ONT?
Uber and Lyft pick up at the baggage claim level curb outside each terminal; follow TNC/rideshare signage. ONT is about 35 miles from downtown LA; rideshare to central LA is expensive. For LA trips, consider Metrolink at the adjacent airport station. Open the app after you land and follow its pickup pin, not the curb out front.
Where is the ONT cell-phone lot?
Cell Phone Waiting Lot — On airport property near the terminal entrance; follow airport signage. It's free, and you wait there until your traveler texts that they have their bags.
How far is ONT from Downtown Los Angeles?
ONT is about 35 miles from Downtown Los Angeles — roughly 40–65 minutes by car depending on traffic, via Airport Drive to I-10 west for downtown LA (~35 miles); I-15 and I-10 serve the Inland Empire.
Is there a train from ONT to Downtown Los Angeles?
Yes. ONT has a free shuttle connecting to the Ontario Airport Metrolink Station (about 0.5 miles away). The Inland Empire-Orange County Line reaches downtown LA Union Station in about 55 minutes. The 91/Perris Valley Line also serves the station for trips east toward Perris and Riverside.