Drive or Fly: Brooklyn, MI to Sterling Heights, 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 TOL–DTW. At 92 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 1m

Distance

92.2 mi

Total Cost

$55

CO2

37 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$20

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 57m

8m in the air

Air Distance

70 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Brooklyn, MI → TOL 64m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DTW → Sterling Heights, MI 45m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Brooklyn, MI TOL — Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport 42 mi, ~64m drive

Sterling Heights, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 30 mi, ~45m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TOL 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 25m

2h 13m on rail

Total Cost

$13

CO2

4 kg

Route

Wolverine

Door-to-Door Timeline

Brooklyn, MI → Jackson 19m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 133m

Arrival 10m

Troy Amtrak Station → Sterling Heights, MI 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From Jackson 13 mi, ~19m drive

To Troy Amtrak Station 9 mi, ~13m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~13/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 13 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 39m

1h 35m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0160

Door-to-Door Timeline

Brooklyn, MI → Jackson Bus Stop (JAC6) 19m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 95m

Arrival 10m

Southfield Bus Stop (SHF6) → Sterling Heights, MI 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From JAC6 — Jackson Bus Stop 13 mi, ~19m drive

To SHF6 — Southfield Bus Stop 13 mi, ~20m 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 1m	3h 57m	3h 25m	2h 39m
Total cost (1 person)	$55	$123	$13	$7
Carbon footprint	37 kg CO₂	18 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	4 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

92.2 mi 2h 1m

via I 94, US 12, I 75

Shortest (+1 min)

92.2 mi 2h 2m

via M 14, I 96, I 94

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Brooklyn, MI to Sterling Heights, MI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.