Drive or Fly: Fitchburg, WI to Hales Corners, WI?

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 MSN–MKE. At 92 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 51m

Distance

92.6 mi

Total Cost

$56

CO2

37 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$21

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 42m

9m in the air

Air Distance

72 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fitchburg, WI → MSN 21m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MKE → Hales Corners, WI 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Fitchburg, WI MSN — Dane County Regional Truax Field 14 mi, ~21m drive

Hales Corners, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSN and MKE. 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

3h 17m

1h 35m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

4 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fitchburg, WI → Columbus Amtrak Station 52m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 95m

Arrival 10m

General Mitchell Intl. Airport Amtrak Station → Hales Corners, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From Columbus Amtrak Station 35 mi, ~52m drive

To General Mitchell Intl. Airport Amtrak Station 6 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 57m

2h 8m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fitchburg, WI → Madison (Madison Campus WI) (MADI) 13m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 128m

Arrival 10m

Milwaukee Mitchell Airport (5MK) → Hales Corners, WI 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From MADI — Madison (Madison Campus WI) 8 mi, ~13m drive

To 5MK — Milwaukee Mitchell Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− 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 51m	2h 42m	3h 17m	2h 57m
Total cost (1 person)	$56	$123	$12	$8
Carbon footprint	37 kg CO₂	18 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	4 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Fitchburg, WI to Hales Corners, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.