Drive or Fly: Eagle River, AK to Ketchikan, AK?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Flying wins

Medium

Flying saves significant time at this distance. Consider driving only if you enjoy the road trip.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

35h 36m

Distance

1660.5 mi

Total Cost

$839

CO2

671 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$369

Hotel (1 room, 3 nights) $330

Meals (1 pax, 4 days) $140

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

− Requires 4 days of driving

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

1h 32m in the air

Air Distance

766 mi

Total Cost

$296

CO2

195 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Eagle River, AK → MRI 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 92m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

KTN → Ketchikan, AK 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $241) $241

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Eagle River, AK MRI — Merrill Field 12 mi, ~18m drive

Ketchikan, AK KTN — Ketchikan International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MRI and KTN. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 31h 36m compared to driving

+ 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	35h 36m	4h
Total cost (1 person)	$839	$296
Carbon footprint	671 kg CO₂	195 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

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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Eagle River, AK to Ketchikan, AK with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.