Drive or Fly: Franklin, WI to Prescott, 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 MKE–MSP. At 328 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 8m

Distance

328.5 mi

Total Cost

$108

CO2

133 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$73

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 18m

32m in the air

Air Distance

270 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

69 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Franklin, WI → MKE 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 32m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSP → Prescott, WI 34m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Prescott, WI MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 23 mi, ~34m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MKE and MSP. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 50m compared to driving

+ 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 42m

5h 25m on rail

Total Cost

$51

CO2

15 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 30m

Train ride 325m

Arrival 10m

Red Wing Amtrak Station → Prescott, WI 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $51) $51

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

Stations

From General Mitchell Intl. Airport Amtrak Station 7 mi, ~10m drive

To Red Wing Amtrak Station 18 mi, ~27m 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

7h 45m

6h 45m on road

Total Cost

$30

CO2

16 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Franklin, WI → Milwaukee Mitchell Airport (5MK) 12m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 405m

Arrival 10m

Hudson (WI) (5HU) → Prescott, WI 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $30) $30

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

Stations

From 5MK — Milwaukee Mitchell Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

To 5HU — Hudson (WI) 15 mi, ~23m 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	6h 8m	3h 18m	6h 42m	7h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$108	$186	$51	$30
Carbon footprint	133 kg CO₂	69 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂	16 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 18, 2026.

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