Drive or Fly: Bloomington, MN to Erie, MN?

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 MSP–TVF. At 313 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

6h 11m

Distance

313 mi

Total Cost

$105

CO2

126 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$70

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 12m

30m in the air

Air Distance

251 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

64 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bloomington, MN → MSP 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 30m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TVF → Erie, MN 32m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Bloomington, MN MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 5 mi, ~10m drive

Erie, MN TVF — Thief River Falls Regional Airport 21 mi, ~32m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSP and TVF. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 59m compared to driving

+ 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

8h 57m

6h 21m on rail

Total Cost

$56

CO2

16 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bloomington, MN → St. Paul-Minneapolis 19m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 381m

Arrival 10m

Grand Forks Amtrak Station → Erie, MN 97m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $56) $56

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

Stations

From St. Paul-Minneapolis 13 mi, ~19m drive

To Grand Forks Amtrak Station 65 mi, ~97m 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	6h 11m	3h 12m	8h 57m
Total cost (1 person)	$105	$185	$56
Carbon footprint	126 kg CO₂	64 kg CO₂	16 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Bloomington, MN to Erie, MN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.