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Drive or Fly: Augusta, WI to Menomonee Falls, WI?

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 EAU–MKE. At 229 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 24m

Distance

229.5 mi

Total Cost

$86

CO2

93 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$51
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 24m

22m in the air

Air Distance

182 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

46 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Augusta, WI → EAU 33m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 22m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
MKE → Menomonee Falls, WI 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Augusta, WI EAU — Chippewa Valley Regional Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive
Menomonee Falls, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 20 mi, ~29m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between EAU and MKE. 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
May need a rental car at destination
Luggage fees and restrictions
Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 13m

3h 56m on rail

Total Cost

$40

CO2

12 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Augusta, WI → Winona 76m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 236m
Arrival 10m
Milwaukee → Menomonee Falls, WI 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $40) $40

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

Stations

From Winona 51 mi, ~76m drive
To Milwaukee 14 mi, ~21m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 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 4h 24m 3h 24m 6h 13m
Total cost (1 person) $86 $182 $40
Carbon footprint 93 kg CO2 46 kg CO2 12 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest
229.5 mi 4h 23m

via I 94, CTH F, CTH R

Shortest (+8 min)
224 mi 4h 32m

via US 10, I 41; US 41, US 10; US 12; WI 27

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Augusta, WI to Menomonee Falls, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.