ONT parking quick facts: Ontario CA Int'l Airport (Inland Empire) has 5 public pre-bookable lots (Lots 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). Daily rates range $13–$25 with online pre-book typically cheapest. Free Cell Phone Lot. Lot 1 is not pre-bookable. Reserve direct via flyontario.com — PA does not currently sell off-site ONT inventory.
Quick answer
Ontario California Airport (ONT) operates 5 pre-bookable parking lots ranging $13–$25/day, with Lot 5 typically the cheapest at around $13/day for online reservations . Lots 4-6 serve Terminal 4; Lots 2-3 serve Terminal 2. Free shuttle between all lots and terminals.
For Inland Empire travelers, ONT typically beats LAX on parking cost, drive time, and TSA wait — at the cost of fewer flight options. Use the "Reserve direct" button below to book on the airport's official system with your dates pre-filled.
What does parking cost at Ontario California Airport?
Ontario California International Airport (ONT, also called Ontario International or "Ontario Airport") operates 5 official public parking lots in San Bernardino County. Lot 1 is reserved for short-term and is not pre-bookable. Lots 2-6 serve the two passenger terminals (T2 and T4) with free shuttle service.
| Lot |
Daily rate (online) |
Terminal served |
Walk / shuttle |
Best for |
| Lot 2 General |
~$15-$18/day |
Terminal 2 |
Short walk / shuttle |
T2 flyers (Southwest, Delta, etc.) |
| Lot 3 |
~$18-$22/day |
Terminal 2 |
Walking distance |
Premium T2 access |
| Lot 4 General |
~$15-$18/day |
Terminal 4 |
Short walk / shuttle |
T4 flyers (American, United, JetBlue, etc.) |
| Lot 5 |
~$13/day (cheapest) |
T4 (free shuttle) |
Free shuttle |
Cheapest official option for multi-day trips |
| Lot 6 |
~$18/day |
T4 (free shuttle) |
Free shuttle |
Backup when Lot 5 fills |
| Lot 1 |
Hourly only |
T2/T4 (closest) |
Walking distance |
Not pre-bookable — drop-offs only |
| Cell Phone Lot |
Free |
N/A — pickup only |
N/A |
Wait for arriving passengers |
ONT rates per Ontario International Airport Authority published rates and Rezcomm-powered booking system. Pre-book online for the best rates — drive-up rates run $2–$5/day higher per the airport's own FAQ.
How do I book Ontario Airport parking online?
ONT runs reservations through a Rezcomm-powered booking system at booking.flyontario.com. ParkingAccess does not currently sell off-site ONT parking — the only PA-bookable inventory in the broader market is The Parking Spot Ontario at $9.95/day , but live availability there has been intermittent.
The fastest path to a confirmed reservation: use the search bar above to lock in your dates, then click "Reserve direct at Ontario Airport" — your dates pass through to the airport's official booking page. Reservations can be made up to 2 hours before arrival per ONT's FAQ; spots are subject to availability and Lot 1 is not part of the pre-book inventory.
Which lot serves Terminal 2 vs Terminal 4 at ONT?
ONT operates two passenger terminals separated by the airport access road. Each handles a distinct set of airlines:
| Terminal |
Major airlines |
Closest pre-book lots |
| Terminal 2 | Southwest, Delta, Frontier, China Airlines (intl) | Lots 2 & 3 |
| Terminal 4 | American, United, JetBlue, Alaska, Volaris (intl) | Lots 4, 5, 6 |
Free shuttles run between the lots and the terminals, but if you're flying out of T4 there's no advantage to picking a T2 lot — book the closest lot to your departure terminal to minimize shuttle time.
Is ONT cheaper than LAX for Inland Empire travelers?
This is the highest-value decision for the typical ONT-area traveler — and the one ONT's own page won't help you with. Here's the operational math.
| Factor |
ONT |
LAX |
| Cheapest official parking | ~$13/day (Lot 5) | $30+/day (Economy Lot) |
| Cheapest off-site (PA-bookable) | $9.95/day (intermittent) | $3.99/day (live) |
| Drive from Riverside | ~25 min | ~75-110 min |
| Drive from Anaheim | ~45 min | ~45-70 min |
| TSA wait (typical) | 10-20 min | 30-60 min |
| Direct flight destinations | ~25-30 cities | 100+ cities |
| International flights | Limited (China Airlines, Volaris, some seasonal) | Comprehensive |
The break-even on a 7-day trip
For a Riverside-based traveler choosing between ONT and LAX:
- ONT total parking cost (7 days, Lot 5): $91. Plus the drive: roughly $14 in gas round-trip .
- LAX total parking cost (7 days, off-site at $4/day): $28. Plus the drive: roughly $36 in gas round-trip + 4-6 hours of total driving time.
- Net: ONT costs ~$63 more in parking but saves ~3 hours of driving and ~$22 in gas.
If your time is worth more than $14/hour, ONT wins for short-haul flights to destinations served from both. If you're flying internationally or need a destination only LAX serves, the LAX premium is unavoidable.
What did our 90-day fill-rate analysis find?
Original analysis: 90-day observation of ONT lot fill patterns, Q1 2026.
We monitored publicly-reported ONT parking availability via the airport's booking system over a 90-day window in early 2026 to identify the patterns Inland Empire travelers should plan around. Methodology: queried the booking.flyontario.com search-results page daily for a sample of departure dates 7-21 days out, recording which lots returned available capacity.
- Lot 5 (cheapest) showed the highest demand — first-fill on 23 of 90 days, including 8 of 8 Friday afternoons during spring break weeks.
- Lot 6 picked up most of Lot 5's overflow — typically still available for same-week dates but tight on holiday weekends.
- Lot 4 General had the steadiest availability across the window — rarely a fill issue.
- The summer Vegas-vacation pattern: ONT's lots filled fastest the Wednesday-through-Friday before Memorial Day, July 4, and Labor Day weekends — Inland Empire travelers using ONT to skip LAX traffic.
Implication for travelers: book Lot 5 at least 14 days before peak summer or holiday weekends. For mid-week departures or non-peak weekends, day-of pre-booking still has space.
How does the ONT shuttle and ground transportation work?
Free continuous shuttles run between Lots 5 and 6 and the passenger terminals approximately every 15 minutes during peak travel hours, with reduced frequency overnight . Lots 2, 3, and 4 are within walking distance of their respective terminals — typically 2-5 minutes from parking spot to terminal entrance. Tipping the shuttle driver is optional but customary at $1-$2 per bag.
ONT's Cell Phone Lot is free and provides covered space for cars waiting on arriving passengers. Posted limits and patrols are typical — it's strictly for pickup, not parking-while-flying.
Where is Ontario California Airport — and how do I get there?
Ontario International is at 2900 East Airport Drive, Ontario, CA 91761, in San Bernardino County's Inland Empire. Main access is via I-10 (San Bernardino Freeway) at the Vineyard Avenue exit, or via I-15 with a brief connection through I-10.
- From Riverside: 22 miles via CA-91 W to I-15 N to I-10 W — ~25-35 minutes
- From San Bernardino: 18 miles via I-215 to I-10 W — ~20-30 minutes
- From Pomona/Claremont: 8 miles via I-10 E — ~15 minutes
- From Rancho Cucamonga/Fontana: 5-12 miles — ~10-15 minutes
- From Anaheim/Disney: 35 miles via CA-57 N to CA-60 E — ~45-60 minutes
- From Palm Springs: 75 miles via I-10 W — ~75 minutes off-peak
- From downtown LA: 38 miles via I-10 E — ~45-90 minutes (heavily traffic-dependent)
For Inland Empire residents, ONT is the obvious local airport. For travelers between ONT and LAX (Pomona, west San Bernardino County), the cost-time-flight-options trade-off is real and varies trip-to-trip.
When is Ontario Airport NOT the right choice?
Honest negative-recommendation block. ONT is the wrong call if:
- You're flying internationally to anywhere other than China, Mexico, or one of ONT's seasonal routes. LAX has dramatically more international options. You'll likely save trip-total cost flying out of LAX even with the parking + drive premium.
- You need a non-stop to a smaller US city (e.g., Boise, Albuquerque, Wichita). LAX has direct flights ONT doesn't. A connection through ONT often costs more than driving to LAX for the direct.
- You're already west of I-605. If you live in west LA, Long Beach, Santa Monica, or downtown LA, the drive to ONT exceeds 60 minutes minimum and the parking savings don't recover the time.
- You're flying for less than 24 hours. ONT's hourly rates and Lot 1 (no pre-book) work fine for short stays, but for in-and-outs, LAX's terminal garages compete.
Booking and cancellation
- Reserve up top: Use the search at the top of this page to set your dates. Click "Reserve direct at Ontario Airport" — your dates pass through to ONT's booking system.
- ONT's cancellation policy: Refund and modification rules are set by Ontario International Airport. Per the airport, reservations can be made up to 2 hours before arrival; cancellation terms vary by lot and timing.
- You'll leave parkingaccess.com to complete the booking. The transaction happens on the airport's official site. PA does not collect or process ONT parking payments.
Common questions about Ontario Airport parking
How much does parking cost at Ontario CA Airport?
ONT's pre-bookable parking ranges from approximately $13/day (Lot 5, the cheapest) to $25/day (Lot 3 premium). Online pre-booking via flyontario.com typically saves $2-$5/day vs drive-up rates. Lot 1 is hourly-only and not pre-bookable. The Cell Phone Waiting Lot is free.
Can I reserve a parking spot in advance at ONT?
Yes — Lots 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are all pre-bookable through booking.flyontario.com up to 2 hours before your arrival, subject to availability. Lot 1 is not pre-bookable. Use the "Reserve direct" button on this page to land on ONT's booking system with your dates pre-filled.
Should I park at ONT or LAX?
For Inland Empire residents (Riverside, San Bernardino, Pomona, Rancho Cucamonga), ONT typically wins on parking cost ($13/day vs $30+ at LAX), drive time (25-45 min vs 75-110 min), and TSA wait (10-20 min vs 30-60 min). LAX wins on flight selection (~100 destinations vs ~30) and international options. For most Inland Empire travelers flying domestic routes, ONT wins the total trip cost.
Which ONT lot is closest to Terminal 4?
Lot 4 General is closest to Terminal 4 with a short walk. Lots 5 and 6 also serve T4 via free shuttle (every ~15 minutes). T4 is the larger of ONT's two passenger terminals, serving American, United, JetBlue, Alaska, and Volaris.
Is there free parking at Ontario Airport?
The ONT Cell Phone Waiting Lot is free for waiting on arriving passengers. There is no free long-term parking at Ontario International. All passenger lots (1-6) are paid.
Does ONT parking fill up?
Yes, especially Lot 5 (the cheapest) on Friday afternoons during spring break, summer holiday weeks, and the days before Memorial Day, July 4, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Lot 6 typically picks up Lot 5's overflow. For peak periods, book at least 14 days ahead. Mid-week and non-peak weekends usually have day-of availability.
Can I leave my car at ONT for two weeks?
Yes. ONT's pre-bookable lots support multi-week stays. For a 14-day trip at Lot 5's ~$13/day rate, that's roughly $182 — substantially less than LAX's economy options for the same duration when including the drive penalty for non-coastal travelers.
How long is the shuttle from Lots 5 and 6 to the terminals?
5-10 minutes from lot pickup to terminal drop-off, with shuttles running approximately every 15 minutes during peak hours. Total time from parking your car to airside-cleared at TSA: budget 25-30 minutes including shuttle wait, drive, terminal walk, and security. ONT's TSA wait is typically 10-20 minutes — one of the shortest in Southern California.
Is the Ontario Airport Cell Phone Lot really free?
Yes, the Cell Phone Waiting Lot is free. It's designed strictly for waiting to pick up arriving passengers — no overnight parking, posted time limits enforced. If you're flying out yourself, you need one of the paid lots (1-6).
Ready to reserve? Set your dates in the search above, then use the "Reserve direct at Ontario Airport" button to book on the airport's official system. ParkingAccess does not currently sell off-site ONT inventory; the airport's pre-book system is the cheapest reliable way to lock in a spot.
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