Drive or Fly: Federal Way, WA to Spokane Valley, WA?

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 SEA–GEG. At 294 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 37m

Distance

294.6 mi

Total Cost

$100

CO2

119 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$65

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 3m

29m in the air

Air Distance

238 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

61 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Federal Way, WA → SEA 13m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 29m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

GEG → Spokane Valley, WA 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Federal Way, WA SEA — Seattle–Tacoma International Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

Spokane Valley, WA GEG — Spokane International Airport 14 mi, ~21m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SEA and GEG. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

7h 29m

6h 40m on road

Total Cost

$26

CO2

14 kg

Route

FlixBus 2120

Door-to-Door Timeline

Federal Way, WA → Tacoma (G St & Puyallup Ave) (1TA) 12m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 400m

Arrival 10m

Spokane Station (SPO6) → Spokane Valley, WA 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From 1TA — Tacoma (G St & Puyallup Ave) 8 mi, ~12m drive

To SPO6 — Spokane Station 8 mi, ~12m 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	4h 37m	3h 3m	7h 29m
Total cost (1 person)	$100	$185	$26
Carbon footprint	119 kg CO₂	61 kg CO₂	14 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Federal Way, WA to Spokane Valley, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.