Drive or Fly: Flint, MI to Beaverton, 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 FNT–MBS. At 89 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 40m

Distance

89 mi

Total Cost

$55

CO2

36 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$20
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 6m

9m in the air

Air Distance

72 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Flint, MI → FNT 10m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 9m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
MBS → Beaverton, MI 47m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Flint, MI FNT — Bishop International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive
Beaverton, MI MBS — MBS International Airport 31 mi, ~47m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FNT and MBS. 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 9m

31m on rail

Total Cost

$4

CO2

1 kg

Route

Blue Water

Door-to-Door Timeline

Flint, MI → Flint Amtrak Station 10m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 31m
Arrival 10m
Durand Amtrak Station → Beaverton, MI 108m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From Flint Amtrak Station 2 mi, ~10m drive
To Durand Amtrak Station 72 mi, ~108m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~5/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 5 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 1h 40m 3h 6m 3h 9m
Total cost (1 person) $55 $123 $4
Carbon footprint 36 kg CO2 18 kg CO2 1 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 12, 2026.

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