Drive or Fly: Coulee Dam, WA to Tacoma, 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–TIW. At 244 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 2m

Distance

244 mi

Total Cost

$89

CO2

99 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$54

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

4h 14m

20m in the air

Air Distance

169 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

43 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Coulee Dam, WA → EAT 104m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TIW → Tacoma, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Coulee Dam, WA EAT — Pangborn Memorial Airport 69 mi, ~104m drive

Tacoma, WA TIW — Tacoma Narrows Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between EAT and TIW. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 52m

4h 45m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

9 kg

Route

FlixBus 2120

Door-to-Door Timeline

Coulee Dam, WA → Moses Lake (1ML) 92m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 285m

Arrival 10m

Tacoma (G St & Puyallup Ave) (1TA) → Tacoma, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From 1ML — Moses Lake 61 mi, ~92m drive

To 1TA — Tacoma (G St & Puyallup Ave) 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	5h 2m	4h 14m	6h 52m
Total cost (1 person)	$89	$182	$16
Carbon footprint	99 kg CO₂	43 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: 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 18, 2026.

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