Drive or Fly: Farmington Hills, MI to Watervliet, 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 165 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 3m

Distance

165.6 mi

Total Cost

$72

CO2

67 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$37

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 36m

18m in the air

Air Distance

149 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

38 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Farmington Hills, MI → DTW 28m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SBN → Watervliet, MI 50m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

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

Watervliet, MI SBN — South Bend International Airport 33 mi, ~50m 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 23m

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) → Watervliet, MI 18m

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 12 mi, ~18m 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 3m	3h 36m	5h 23m
Total cost (1 person)	$72	$126	$18
Carbon footprint	67 kg CO₂	38 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 15, 2026.

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