Drive or Fly: Bay City, MI to Ann Arbor, 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 MBS–DTW. At 96 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 51m

Distance

96.5 mi

Total Cost

$56

CO2

39 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$21

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 57m

11m in the air

Air Distance

91 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

23 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bay City, MI → MBS 16m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DTW → Ann Arbor, MI 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Bay City, MI MBS — MBS International Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MBS and DTW. 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	1h 51m	2h 57m
Total cost (1 person)	$56	$124
Carbon footprint	39 kg CO₂	23 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 15, 2026.

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