Drive or Fly: Granite Falls, WA to Vancouver, WA?

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 EAT–PDX. At 323 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 32m

Distance

323.2 mi

Total Cost

$106

CO2

131 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$71

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 24m

23m in the air

Air Distance

194 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

49 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Granite Falls, WA → EAT 51m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 23m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PDX → Vancouver, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Granite Falls, WA EAT — Pangborn Memorial Airport 34 mi, ~51m drive

Vancouver, WA PDX — Portland International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between EAT and PDX. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 8m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

8h 16m

6h 5m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

8 kg

Route

FlixBus 2120

Door-to-Door Timeline

Granite Falls, WA → Ellensburg (Central Washington University) (1CW) 95m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 365m

Arrival 10m

Portland Curbside Bus Stop (PUT6) → Vancouver, WA 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From 1CW — Ellensburg (Central Washington University) 63 mi, ~95m drive

To PUT6 — Portland Curbside Bus Stop 8 mi, ~11m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	6h 32m	3h 24m	8h 16m
Total cost (1 person)	$106	$183	$16
Carbon footprint	131 kg CO₂	49 kg CO₂	8 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: 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 17, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Granite Falls, WA to Vancouver, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.