Drive or Fly: Detroit, MI to Union City, 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 120 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 26m

Distance

120.5 mi

Total Cost

$62

CO2

49 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$27

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 16m

13m in the air

Air Distance

109 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

28 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Detroit, MI → DTW 27m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AZO → Union City, MI 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

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

Union City, MI AZO — Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport 24 mi, ~36m 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 33m

2h 17m on rail

Total Cost

$22

CO2

6 kg

Route

Wolverine

Door-to-Door Timeline

Detroit, MI → Detroit 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 137m

Arrival 10m

Battle Creek → Union City, MI 26m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $22) $22

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

Stations

From Detroit 3 mi, ~10m drive

To Battle Creek 18 mi, ~26m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~18/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

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 6m

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) → Union City, MI 26m

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 18 mi, ~26m 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 26m	3h 16m	3h 33m	4h 6m
Total cost (1 person)	$62	$124	$22	$12
Carbon footprint	49 kg CO₂	28 kg CO₂	6 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: 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 15, 2026.

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