Drive or Fly: Federal Way, WA to Birch Bay, 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–BLI. At 131 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 43m

Distance

131.7 mi

Total Cost

$64

CO2

53 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$29

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 45m

13m in the air

Air Distance

112 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

29 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Federal Way, WA → SEA 13m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BLI → Birch Bay, WA 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

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

Birch Bay, WA BLI — Bellingham International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SEA and BLI. 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

4h 35m

3h 17m on rail

Total Cost

$20

CO2

6 kg

Route

Amtrak Cascades

Door-to-Door Timeline

Federal Way, WA → Tacoma 12m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 197m

Arrival 10m

Bellingham Amtrak Station → Birch Bay, WA 26m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From Tacoma 8 mi, ~12m drive

To Bellingham Amtrak Station 17 mi, ~26m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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

− Limited schedule — about 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	2h 43m	2h 45m	4h 35m
Total cost (1 person)	$64	$124	$20
Carbon footprint	53 kg CO₂	29 kg CO₂	6 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.

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