Drive or Fly: Fairfield, ME to Portland, ME?

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 AUG–PWM. At 78 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 14m

Distance

78.1 mi

Total Cost

$52

CO2

32 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$17

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

2h 50m

9m in the air

Air Distance

72 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fairfield, ME → AUG 31m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PWM → Portland, ME 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Fairfield, ME AUG — Augusta State Airport 21 mi, ~31m drive

Portland, ME PWM — Portland International Jetport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AUG and PWM. 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

2h 48m

43m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Downeaster

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fairfield, ME → Brunswick Amtrak Station 75m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 43m

Arrival 10m

Portland → Portland, ME 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From Brunswick Amtrak Station 50 mi, ~75m drive

To Portland 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~46/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

2h 45m

2h on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0265s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fairfield, ME → Waterville (J & S Oil Co) (WAV6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 120m

Arrival 10m

City of Portland (PVT6) → Portland, ME 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From WAV6 — Waterville (J & S Oil Co) 5 mi, ~10m drive

To PVT6 — City of Portland 1 mi, ~10m 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	1h 14m	2h 50m	2h 48m	2h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$52	$123	$5	$8
Carbon footprint	32 kg CO₂	18 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	4 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 Fairfield, ME to Portland, ME with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.