Drive or Fly: Aberdeen, WA to Renton, WA?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

No scheduled commercial flights found for OLM–BFI. At 101 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 13m

Distance

101.3 mi

Total Cost

$57

CO2

41 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$22

Hotel (1 room, 0 nights) $0

Meals (1 pax, 1 day) $35

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Comfortable one-day drive

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

+ Likely faster door-to-door than flying

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 25m

10m in the air

Air Distance

83 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

21 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Aberdeen, WA → OLM 65m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BFI → Renton, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Aberdeen, WA OLM — Olympia Regional Airport 43 mi, ~65m drive

Renton, WA BFI — King County International Airport - Boeing Field 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between OLM and BFI. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 27m

1h 30m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

4 kg

Route

Amtrak Cascades

Door-to-Door Timeline

Aberdeen, WA → Centralia Amtrak Station 67m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 90m

Arrival 10m

Tukwila Amtrak → Renton, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

Estimated based on distance. Check amtrak.com for current prices.

Stations

From Centralia Amtrak Station 44 mi, ~67m drive

To Tukwila Amtrak 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 6 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 55m

1h 15m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

FlixBus 2120

Door-to-Door Timeline

Aberdeen, WA → Olympia (Intercity Transit Center) (1OL) 65m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 75m

Arrival 10m

Seattle Tacoma Intl Airport (SAP6) → Renton, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

Estimated based on distance. Check flixbus.com for current prices.

Stations

From 1OL — Olympia (Intercity Transit Center) 43 mi, ~65m drive

To SAP6 — Seattle Tacoma Intl Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 13m	3h 25m	3h 27m	2h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$57	$123	$12	$4
Carbon footprint	41 kg CO₂	21 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	Data unavailable

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Transit: Amtrak GTFS, FlixBus GTFS — fares estimated

Confidence: Medium — airports identified, fares estimated

Costs are estimates. Actual flight prices vary by airline, date, and booking time. Drive costs based on OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices. Computed Apr 18, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Aberdeen, WA to Renton, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.