Drive or Fly: Auburn, WA to Port Angeles, 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–FRD. At 118 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 45m

Distance

118.1 mi

Total Cost

$61

CO2

48 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$26

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 16m

9m in the air

Air Distance

79 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

20 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Auburn, WA → SEA 16m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FRD → Port Angeles, WA 51m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

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

Port Angeles, WA FRD — Friday Harbor Airport 34 mi, ~51m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SEA and FRD. 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

4h 44m

2h 32m on rail

Total Cost

$14

CO2

4 kg

Route

Amtrak Cascades

Door-to-Door Timeline

Auburn, WA → Tacoma 16m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 152m

Arrival 10m

Stanwood Amtrak → Port Angeles, WA 76m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $14) $14

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

Stations

From Tacoma 10 mi, ~16m drive

To Stanwood Amtrak 51 mi, ~76m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	2h 45m	3h 16m	4h 44m
Total cost (1 person)	$61	$123	$14
Carbon footprint	48 kg CO₂	20 kg CO₂	4 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 — 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 Port Angeles, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.