Drive or Fly: Bellingham, WA to Tukwila, 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 BLI–SEA. At 99 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 4m

Distance

99.6 mi

Total Cost

$57

CO2

40 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$22

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 31m

11m in the air

Air Distance

89 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

23 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bellingham, WA → BLI 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SEA → Tukwila, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Bellingham, WA BLI — Bellingham International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

Tukwila, WA SEA — Seattle–Tacoma International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BLI and SEA. 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 49m

3h 9m on rail

Total Cost

$18

CO2

6 kg

Route

Amtrak Cascades

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bellingham, WA → Bellingham Amtrak Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 189m

Arrival 10m

Tukwila Amtrak → Tukwila, WA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From Bellingham Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Tukwila Amtrak 0 mi, ~30m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 35m on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

6 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bellingham, WA → Bellingham (WWU - Lincoln Creek Park & Ride) (1BH) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 155m

Arrival 10m

Seattle Tacoma Intl Airport (SAP6) → Tukwila, WA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From 1BH — Bellingham (WWU - Lincoln Creek Park & Ride) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To SAP6 — Seattle Tacoma Intl Airport 0 mi, ~30m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 4m	2h 31m	4h 49m	4h
Total cost (1 person)	$57	$124	$18	$10
Carbon footprint	40 kg CO₂	23 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	6 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, 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 17, 2026.

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