Drive or Fly: Cosmopolis, WA to Federal Way, 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 OLM–SEA. At 90 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 1m

Distance

90.1 mi

Total Cost

$55

CO2

36 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 24m

9m in the air

Air Distance

73 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

19 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cosmopolis, WA → OLM 62m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SEA → Federal Way, WA 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Cosmopolis, WA OLM — Olympia Regional Airport 41 mi, ~62m drive

Federal Way, WA SEA — Seattle–Tacoma International Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between OLM and SEA. 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

2h 55m

1h on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Amtrak Cascades

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cosmopolis, WA → Centralia Amtrak Station 63m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 60m

Arrival 10m

Tacoma → Federal Way, WA 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From Centralia Amtrak Station 42 mi, ~63m drive

To Tacoma 8 mi, ~12m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/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 6 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 19m

40m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

FlixBus N2111

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cosmopolis, WA → Olympia (Intercity Transit Center) (1OL) 62m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 40m

Arrival 10m

Tacoma (G St & Puyallup Ave) (1TA) → Federal Way, WA 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From 1OL — Olympia (Intercity Transit Center) 42 mi, ~62m drive

To 1TA — Tacoma (G St & Puyallup Ave) 8 mi, ~12m 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 24m	2h 55m	2h 19m
Total cost (1 person)	$55	$123	$9	$3
Carbon footprint	36 kg CO₂	19 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	2 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 Cosmopolis, WA to Federal Way, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.