Drive or Fly: Detroit, MI to New Buffalo, 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–MGC. At 214 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 55m

Distance

214.5 mi

Total Cost

$83

CO2

87 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$48

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 1m

23m in the air

Air Distance

193 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

49 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Detroit, MI → DTW 27m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 23m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MGC → New Buffalo, MI 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

New Buffalo, MI MGC — Michigan City Municipal Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DTW and MGC. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 47m

3h 47m on rail

Total Cost

$38

CO2

11 kg

Route

Wolverine

Door-to-Door Timeline

Detroit, MI → Detroit 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 227m

Arrival 10m

New Buffalo Amtrak → New Buffalo, MI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $38) $38

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

Stations

From Detroit 3 mi, ~10m drive

To New Buffalo Amtrak 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~10/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 10 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 50m

4h 38m on road

Total Cost

$19

CO2

10 kg

Route

Greyhound US0160

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 278m

Arrival 10m

Benton Harbor Bus Stop (BNH6) → New Buffalo, MI 37m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

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

To BNH6 — Benton Harbor Bus Stop 25 mi, ~37m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~21/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

− 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	3h 55m	3h 1m	4h 47m	5h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$83	$183	$38	$19
Carbon footprint	87 kg CO₂	49 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	10 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 12, 2026.

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