Drive or Fly: Elbow Lake, MN to Bloomington, MN?

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 FAR–MSP. At 170 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 38m

Distance

170.5 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

69 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$38

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

4h 21m

18m in the air

Air Distance

152 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

39 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Elbow Lake, MN → FAR 113m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSP → Bloomington, MN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Elbow Lake, MN FAR — Hector International Airport 76 mi, ~113m drive

Bloomington, MN MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FAR and MSP. 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

6h 31m

4h 6m on rail

Total Cost

$37

CO2

11 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Elbow Lake, MN → Detroit Lakes Amtrak Station 86m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 246m

Arrival 10m

St. Paul-Minneapolis → Bloomington, MN 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $37) $37

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

Stations

From Detroit Lakes Amtrak Station 57 mi, ~86m drive

To St. Paul-Minneapolis 13 mi, ~19m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	2h 38m	4h 21m	6h 31m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$126	$37
Carbon footprint	69 kg CO₂	39 kg CO₂	11 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 — 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 Elbow Lake, MN to Bloomington, MN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.