Drive or Fly: Farmington Hills, MI to Fair Plain, 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–SBN. At 177 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 18m

Distance

177.9 mi

Total Cost

$74

CO2

72 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$39

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 28m

19m in the air

Air Distance

160 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

41 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Farmington Hills, MI → DTW 28m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SBN → Fair Plain, MI 41m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Farmington Hills, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 19 mi, ~28m drive

Fair Plain, MI SBN — South Bend International Airport 27 mi, ~41m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DTW and SBN. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 15m

4h 30m on road

Total Cost

$18

CO2

10 kg

Route

Greyhound US0160

Door-to-Door Timeline

Farmington Hills, MI → Southfield Bus Stop (SHF6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 270m

Arrival 10m

Benton Harbor Bus Stop (BNH6) → Fair Plain, MI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From SHF6 — Southfield Bus Stop 6 mi, ~10m drive

To BNH6 — Benton Harbor Bus Stop 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 18m	3h 28m	5h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$126	$18
Carbon footprint	72 kg CO₂	41 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: 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

177.9 mi 3h 17m

via I 94, M 14, I 275; I 96

Alternative (+11 min)

187.8 mi 3h 28m

via I 96, I 69, I 696

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Farmington Hills, MI to Fair Plain, MI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.