Drive or Fly: Bethel, WA to Yakima, 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–YKM. At 178 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 32m

Distance

178.2 mi

Total Cost

$74

CO2

72 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

2h 47m

14m in the air

Air Distance

118 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

30 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bethel, WA → SEA 23m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

YKM → Yakima, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Bethel, WA SEA — Seattle–Tacoma International Airport 15 mi, ~23m drive

Yakima, WA YKM — Yakima Air Terminal McAllister Field 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SEA and YKM. 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

6h 26m

3h 56m on rail

Total Cost

$19

CO2

6 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bethel, WA → Seattle 24m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 236m

Arrival 10m

Wenatchee Amtrak → Yakima, WA 86m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From Seattle 16 mi, ~24m drive

To Wenatchee Amtrak 57 mi, ~86m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 31m

2h on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

5 kg

Route

FlixBus 2120

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bethel, WA → Seattle Bus Station (SEA6) 24m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 120m

Arrival 10m

Ellensburg (Central Washington University) (1CW) → Yakima, WA 42m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From SEA6 — Seattle Bus Station 16 mi, ~24m drive

To 1CW — Ellensburg (Central Washington University) 28 mi, ~42m 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	3h 32m	2h 47m	6h 26m	3h 31m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$125	$19	$10
Carbon footprint	72 kg CO₂	30 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	5 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 15, 2026.

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