Drive or Fly: City of Auburn Hills, MI to Madison 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 DTW–DTW. At 18 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

23m

Distance

18.8 mi

Total Cost

$39

CO2

8 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$4

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 24m

2m in the air

Air Distance

15 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

City of Auburn Hills, MI → DTW 48m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DTW → Madison Heights, MI 34m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

City of Auburn Hills, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 32 mi, ~48m drive

Madison Heights, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 23 mi, ~34m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DTW 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

1h 59m

19m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Wolverine

Door-to-Door Timeline

City of Auburn Hills, MI → Pontiac Amtrak Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 19m

Arrival 10m

Royal Oak Amtrak → Madison Heights, MI 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From Pontiac Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Royal Oak Amtrak 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~18/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

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	23m	3h 24m	1h 59m
Total cost (1 person)	$39	$121	$2
Carbon footprint	8 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	1 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 16, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from City of Auburn Hills, MI to Madison Heights, MI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.