Drive or Fly: Detroit, MI to Burr Oak, 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–AZO. At 144 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

Distance

144.6 mi

Total Cost

$67

CO2

58 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$32

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 26m

15m in the air

Air Distance

121 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

31 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Detroit, MI → DTW 27m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AZO → Burr Oak, MI 44m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Detroit, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

Burr Oak, MI AZO — Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport 29 mi, ~44m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DTW and AZO. 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

4h 30m

3h 5m on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US0160

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 185m

Arrival 10m

Battle Creek Bus Stop (BCM6) → Burr Oak, MI 50m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From DET6 — Detroit Bus Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To BCM6 — Battle Creek Bus Stop 33 mi, ~50m 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	3h	3h 26m	4h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$67	$125	$12
Carbon footprint	58 kg CO₂	31 kg CO₂	6 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

144.6 mi 3h 0m

via I 94, M 60, M 14

Shortest (+2 min)

132 mi 3h 3m

via US 12, I 94, Deer Park Road

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