Drive or Fly: City of Portland, ME to Caribou, ME?

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 PWM–PQI. At 304 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

6h 14m

Distance

304 mi

Total Cost

$103

CO2

123 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$68

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 58m

29m in the air

Air Distance

246 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

63 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

City of Portland, ME → PWM 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 29m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PQI → Caribou, ME 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

City of Portland, ME PWM — Portland International Jetport 7 mi, ~11m drive

Caribou, ME PQI — Presque Isle International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PWM and PQI. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 16m 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	6h 14m	2h 58m
Total cost (1 person)	$103	$185
Carbon footprint	123 kg CO₂	63 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from City of Portland, ME to Caribou, ME with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.