Drive or Fly: Boston, 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 CMX–DTW. At 544 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

10h 30m

Distance

544.6 mi

Total Cost

$301

CO2

220 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$121

Hotel (1 room, 1 night) $110

Meals (1 pax, 2 days) $70

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

− Requires 2 days of driving

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 29m

49m in the air

Air Distance

412 mi

Total Cost

$191

CO2

105 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Boston, MI → CMX 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 49m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DTW → Ann Arbor, MI 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $136) $136

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Boston, MI CMX — Houghton County Memorial Airport 2 mi, ~10m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CMX and DTW. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 7h 1m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	10h 30m	3h 29m
Total cost (1 person)	$301	$191
Carbon footprint	220 kg CO₂	105 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 Boston, MI to Ann Arbor, MI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.