Drive or Fly: Benton Heights, MI to Farmington Hills, 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 SBN–DTW. At 176 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 16m

Distance

176 mi

Total Cost

$74

CO2

71 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$39

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 31m

19m in the air

Air Distance

157 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

40 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Benton Heights, MI → SBN 44m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DTW → Farmington Hills, MI 28m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Benton Heights, MI SBN — South Bend International Airport 30 mi, ~44m drive

Farmington Hills, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 19 mi, ~28m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SBN 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 40m

4h 55m on road

Total Cost

$18

CO2

10 kg

Route

Greyhound US0160

Door-to-Door Timeline

Benton Heights, MI → Benton Harbor Bus Stop (BNH6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 295m

Arrival 10m

Southfield Bus Stop (SHF6) → Farmington Hills, MI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From BNH6 — Benton Harbor Bus Stop 4 mi, ~10m drive

To SHF6 — Southfield Bus Stop 6 mi, ~10m 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	3h 16m	3h 31m	5h 40m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$126	$18
Carbon footprint	71 kg CO₂	40 kg CO₂	10 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 Benton Heights, MI to Farmington Hills, MI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.