Drive or Fly: Auburn, WA to Bonney Lake, 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 SEA–TIW. At 14 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

20m

Distance

14 mi

Total Cost

$38

CO2

6 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$3

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

2h 46m

1m in the air

Air Distance

9 mi

Total Cost

$120

CO2

2 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Auburn, WA → SEA 16m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 1m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TIW → Bonney Lake, WA 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $120) $120

Airports

Auburn, WA SEA — Seattle–Tacoma International Airport 10 mi, ~16m drive

Bonney Lake, WA TIW — Tacoma Narrows Airport 19 mi, ~29m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SEA and TIW. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 28m

30m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

FlixBus 2110

Door-to-Door Timeline

Auburn, WA → Seattle Tacoma Intl Airport (SAP6) 15m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 30m

Arrival 10m

Tacoma (G St & Puyallup Ave) (1TA) → Bonney Lake, WA 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From SAP6 — Seattle Tacoma Intl Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

To 1TA — Tacoma (G St & Puyallup Ave) 12 mi, ~18m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	20m	2h 46m	1h 28m
Total cost (1 person)	$38	$120	$2
Carbon footprint	6 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	1 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: 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 13, 2026.

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