Drive or Fly: Dearborn, MI to Gaines, 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–FNT. At 77 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 38m

Distance

77.8 mi

Total Cost

$52

CO2

31 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$17

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 40m

6m in the air

Air Distance

53 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

14 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Dearborn, MI → DTW 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FNT → Gaines, MI 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Dearborn, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

Gaines, MI FNT — Bishop International Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DTW and FNT. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 8m

1h 15m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

FlixBus 2552

Door-to-Door Timeline

Dearborn, MI → Detroit Bus Station (DET6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 75m

Arrival 10m

Flint (Miller Rd) (5FI) → Gaines, MI 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From DET6 — Detroit Bus Station 6 mi, ~10m drive

To 5FI — Flint (Miller Rd) 12 mi, ~18m 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	1h 38m	2h 40m	2h 8m
Total cost (1 person)	$52	$122	$6
Carbon footprint	31 kg CO₂	14 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: 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

77.8 mi 1h 37m

via I 75, East Baldwin Road, I 94

Shortest (+1 min)

77.2 mi 1h 39m

via US 23, I 96, M 39

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Dearborn, MI to Gaines, MI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.