Drive or Fly: Grand Rapids, MI to Ontonagon, 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 GRR–CMX. At 523 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

10h 8m

Distance

523.4 mi

Total Cost

$296

CO2

211 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$116

Hotel (1 room, 1 night) $110

Meals (1 pax, 2 days) $70

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

− Requires 2 days of driving

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 59m

39m in the air

Air Distance

324 mi

Total Cost

$188

CO2

82 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Grand Rapids, MI → GRR 14m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 39m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CMX → Ontonagon, MI 66m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $133) $133

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Grand Rapids, MI GRR — Gerald R. Ford International Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive

Ontonagon, MI CMX — Houghton County Memorial Airport 44 mi, ~66m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between GRR and CMX. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 6h 9m 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	10h 8m	3h 59m
Total cost (1 person)	$296	$188
Carbon footprint	211 kg CO₂	82 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

523.4 mi 10h 8m

via US 131, I 75, M 28

Shortest (+10 min)

463.8 mi 10h 18m

via I 43; WI 57, Milwaukee - Muskegon Ferry, US 141

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