Drive or Fly: Coeur d'Alene, ID to Spirit Lake, ID?

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 GEG–GEG. At 25 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

39m

Distance

25.9 mi

Total Cost

$41

CO2

10 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$6

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 54m

2m in the air

Air Distance

20 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

5 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Coeur d'Alene, ID → GEG 53m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

GEG → Spirit Lake, ID 59m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Coeur d'Alene, ID GEG — Spokane International Airport 35 mi, ~53m drive

Spirit Lake, ID GEG — Spokane International Airport 39 mi, ~59m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between GEG 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

3h 8m

1h 5m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

3 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Coeur d'Alene, ID → Spokane 44m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 65m

Arrival 10m

Sandpoint Amtrak → Spirit Lake, ID 39m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From Spokane 30 mi, ~44m drive

To Sandpoint Amtrak 26 mi, ~39m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	39m	3h 54m	3h 8m
Total cost (1 person)	$41	$121	$12
Carbon footprint	10 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	3 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Coeur d'Alene, ID to Spirit Lake, ID with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.