Drive or Fly: Farmington, MI to Royal Oak, 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–DTW. At 13 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

28m

Distance

13.4 mi

Total Cost

$38

CO2

5 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$3

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

1m in the air

Air Distance

12 mi

Total Cost

$120

CO2

3 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Farmington, MI → DTW 26m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 1m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DTW → Royal Oak, MI 33m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $120) $120

Airports

Farmington, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 17 mi, ~26m drive

Royal Oak, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DTW and DTW. 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

1h 12m

6m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

0 kg

Route

Wolverine

Door-to-Door Timeline

Farmington, MI → Troy Amtrak Station 16m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 6m

Arrival 10m

Royal Oak Amtrak → Royal Oak, MI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

From Troy Amtrak Station 11 mi, ~16m drive

To Royal Oak Amtrak 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~18/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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	28m	3h	1h 12m
Total cost (1 person)	$38	$120	$1
Carbon footprint	5 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	0 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

13.4 mi 28m

via West 10 Mile Road

Alternative (+1 min)

14.3 mi 29m

via West 9 Mile Road, West 10 Mile Road

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