Drive or Fly: Arcadia, MI to Chief Lake, 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 TVC–TVC. At 17 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

29m

Distance

17.7 mi

Total Cost

$39

CO2

7 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$4

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 51m

1m in the air

Air Distance

12 mi

Total Cost

$120

CO2

3 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Arcadia, MI → TVC 54m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 1m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TVC → Chief Lake, MI 56m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $120) $120

Airports

Arcadia, MI TVC — Cherry Capital Airport 36 mi, ~54m drive

Chief Lake, MI TVC — Cherry Capital Airport 37 mi, ~56m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TVC and TVC. 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	29m	3h 51m
Total cost (1 person)	$39	$120
Carbon footprint	7 kg CO₂	3 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

17.7 mi 29m

via M 22

Shortest (+4 min)

17.6 mi 33m

via Chief Road, US 31, CR 604

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Arcadia, MI to Chief Lake, MI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.