Drive or Fly: Gateway, AK to Ketchikan, AK?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Flying wins

Medium

Flying saves significant time at this distance. Consider driving only if you enjoy the road trip.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

35h 16m

Distance

1638.4 mi

Total Cost

$832

CO2

662 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$362

Hotel (1 room, 3 nights) $330

Meals (1 pax, 4 days) $140

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

− Requires 4 days of driving

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

4h 30m

1h 32m in the air

Air Distance

764 mi

Total Cost

$296

CO2

195 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gateway, AK → MRI 48m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 92m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

KTN → Ketchikan, AK 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $241) $241

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Gateway, AK MRI — Merrill Field 32 mi, ~48m drive

Ketchikan, AK KTN — Ketchikan International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MRI and KTN. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 30h 46m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	35h 16m	4h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$832	$296
Carbon footprint	662 kg CO₂	195 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

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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Gateway, AK to Ketchikan, AK with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.