Drive or Fly: Ann Arbor, MI to Seneca, MI?

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 DTW–CMX. At 557 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

10h 49m

Distance

557.3 mi

Total Cost

$303

CO2

225 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$123

Hotel (1 room, 1 night) $110

Meals (1 pax, 2 days) $70

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

− Requires 2 days of driving

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 38m

50m in the air

Air Distance

415 mi

Total Cost

$192

CO2

106 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ann Arbor, MI → DTW 30m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 50m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CMX → Seneca, MI 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $137) $137

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Ann Arbor, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 20 mi, ~30m drive

Seneca, MI CMX — Houghton County Memorial Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DTW and CMX. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 7h 11m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	10h 49m	3h 38m
Total cost (1 person)	$303	$192
Carbon footprint	225 kg CO₂	106 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

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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

557.3 mi 10h 49m

via I 75, US 23 BUS, US 41; M 28

Alternative (+24 min)

579.9 mi 11h 13m

via US 127, I 75, US 41; M 28

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Ann Arbor, MI to Seneca, MI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.