Drive or Fly: Federal Way, WA to Carnation, 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–BFI. At 41 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 4m

Distance

41.3 mi

Total Cost

$44

CO2

17 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$9

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 47m

4m in the air

Air Distance

29 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

7 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Federal Way, WA → SEA 13m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BFI → Carnation, WA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

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

Carnation, WA BFI — King County International Airport - Boeing Field 20 mi, ~30m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SEA and BFI. 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

2h 14m

52m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Amtrak Cascades

Door-to-Door Timeline

Federal Way, WA → Tacoma 12m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 52m

Arrival 10m

Seattle → Carnation, WA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From Tacoma 8 mi, ~12m drive

To Seattle 20 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/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 6 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 25m

1h 20m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

FlixBus 2110

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 80m

Arrival 10m

Seattle (University of Washington) (1UW) → Carnation, WA 28m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

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

To 1UW — Seattle (University of Washington) 19 mi, ~28m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 4m	2h 47m	2h 14m	2h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$44	$121	$5	$3
Carbon footprint	17 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	2 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, 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 13, 2026.

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