Drive or Fly: Cashmere, WA to Spokane, 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 EAT–GEG. At 182 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 36m

Distance

182.8 mi

Total Cost

$76

CO2

74 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$41

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 49m

17m in the air

Air Distance

142 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

36 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cashmere, WA → EAT 22m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

GEG → Spokane, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Cashmere, WA EAT — Pangborn Memorial Airport 15 mi, ~22m drive

Spokane, WA GEG — Spokane International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between EAT and GEG. 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

5h 25m

4h 20m on rail

Total Cost

$30

CO2

9 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cashmere, WA → Leavenworth Amtrak 15m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 260m

Arrival 10m

Spokane → Spokane, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $30) $30

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

Stations

From Leavenworth Amtrak 10 mi, ~15m drive

To Spokane 1 mi, ~10m 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

4h 34m

3h 5m on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

9 kg

Route

FlixBus 2120

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cashmere, WA → Ellensburg (Central Washington University) (1CW) 54m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 185m

Arrival 10m

Spokane Station (SPO6) → Spokane, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From 1CW — Ellensburg (Central Washington University) 36 mi, ~54m drive

To SPO6 — Spokane Station 1 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 36m	2h 49m	5h 25m	4h 34m
Total cost (1 person)	$76	$126	$30	$17
Carbon footprint	74 kg CO₂	36 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	9 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 13, 2026.

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