Ontario International Airport (ONT) is an airport option for reaching Brea, with rental cars and connections to bus and rail services. The airport shuttle serves its passenger terminals, while the Rental Car Center and ONT Connect offer additional ways to continue your journey. From Regency Motel in Brea, ONT is about a 35-minute drive.
- Passenger terminals: Terminals 2 and 4.
- Terminal shuttle pickup and drop-off: islands between the parking lots and terminal buildings.
- Rental cars: on-site counters at the ONT Rental Car Center.
- Regional transit: bus and rail providers serve the airport, including through ONT Connect.
Know Your Ontario Airport Terminal
ONT’s passenger terminals are Terminals 2 and 4, and its airport shuttle stops at both.
At either terminal, look for the shuttle pickup and drop-off points on the terminal islands between the parking lots and terminal buildings. The shuttle also serves the International Arrivals terminal and a USO stop by request: ask the driver aboard or call the airport’s shuttle number.
ONT provides shuttle service around the clock, with departures every 5 to 20 minutes and less frequent service between 12:30 a.m. and 3 a.m.
If you arrive at one of the passenger terminals and plan to rent a car, follow the airport’s directions to the Rental Car Center rather than looking for a rental counter in the terminal. Its free airport shuttle connects the center with the passenger terminals.
Driving from ONT to Brea
A rental car lets you continue from the airport toward Brea by road, but ONT’s key rental pickup point is separate from the passenger terminals.
The ONT Rental Car Center is at 3450 East Airport Drive in Ontario, near Haven Avenue. Shuttle pickup and drop-off sites are in front of the center. Major rental-car companies have counters there, and companies operating off the airport provide transportation between the center and their own offices.
For an off-airport rental, check how its transportation works before choosing where to collect the car. If you use a company at the airport, take the free shuttle between the passenger terminal and Rental Car Center. You can confirm current rental-car and shuttle details on the airport’s official site before setting out.
Transit and Ground Transportation Options
ONT connects passengers with several bus and rail providers, but the airport’s transit connections are not all the same service.
Ontario International Airport identifies Amtrak, Foothill Transit, Greyhound, Los Angeles Metro, Metrolink, Omnitrans, Orange County Transportation Authority and Riverside Transit Agency among the providers serving the airport. For a rail connection, ONT Connect combines a Metrolink San Bernardino Line trip to Rancho Cucamonga Station with an Omnitrans-operated shuttle to Terminals 2 and 4.
The shuttle ride is free with a valid Metrolink ticket; passengers arriving at ONT can board at either terminal and transfer to the train at Rancho Cucamonga Station.
Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) Route 143 connects La Habra and Brea via Whittier Boulevard, Harbor Boulevard, Brea Boulevard and Birch Street, with Brea Mall as a stop. That is a Brea-area bus connection, not an airport shuttle, so check how it fits with your separate trip from ONT.
ONT requires ground-transportation providers that pick up or drop off passengers while conducting business at the airport to hold an airport permit. The airport’s provider categories include taxis, transportation network companies, shuttles, charter buses and scheduled buses. Check the official site before you go for current airport transportation arrangements.
Arrival Planning for a Brea Stay
Choose your onward transport before leaving the terminal, especially if your plan combines an airport connection with local Brea transit.
If you are renting a car, allow for the shuttle ride to the Rental Car Center and confirm whether your chosen company has an on-site counter or operates from an off-airport office. If you are taking public transit, distinguish the ONT Connect rail-and-shuttle link from local bus routes serving Brea.
For another airport comparison, see getting from John Wayne Airport to Brea.
The route from LAX to Brea is covered in this guide to getting from LAX to Brea.
Once in town, a one-day Brea itinerary can help you plan stops around the city.
You can review the motel’s room options as you arrange your stay.
FAQs
Which terminals does the ONT airport shuttle serve?
The airport shuttle stops at Terminals 2 and 4. At those terminals, pickup and drop-off points are on the islands between the parking lots and terminal buildings.
Where do you pick up a rental car at ONT?
Major rental-car companies have counters at the ONT Rental Car Center, near Haven Avenue. Free airport shuttle service connects the center and passenger terminals.
Can you take a train from ONT?
ONT Connect links the airport with Rancho Cucamonga Station using a Metrolink San Bernardino Line trip and an Omnitrans-operated shuttle. The shuttle ride is free with a valid Metrolink ticket.
Does a Brea bus route serve the airport?
OCTA Route 143 connects La Habra and Brea and has Brea Mall as a stop. It is a local Brea-area connection, separate from ONT’s airport transportation services.