Drive or Fly: Grantsburg, WI to West Allis, 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 MSP–MKE. At 360 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 52m

Distance

360.4 mi

Total Cost

$115

CO2

146 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$80

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

4h 28m

36m in the air

Air Distance

299 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

76 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Grantsburg, WI → MSP 101m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 36m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MKE → West Allis, WI 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Grantsburg, WI MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 67 mi, ~101m drive

West Allis, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 24m 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

8h 14m

5h 53m on rail

Total Cost

$58

CO2

17 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Grantsburg, WI → St. Paul-Minneapolis 91m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 353m

Arrival 10m

Milwaukee → West Allis, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $58) $58

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

Stations

From St. Paul-Minneapolis 61 mi, ~91m drive

To Milwaukee 5 mi, ~10m 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

8h 22m

6h 23m on road

Total Cost

$30

CO2

16 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Grantsburg, WI → Hudson (WI) (5HU) 84m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 383m

Arrival 10m

Milwaukee Intermodal Station (MKE6) → West Allis, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $30) $30

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

Stations

From 5HU — Hudson (WI) 56 mi, ~84m drive

To MKE6 — Milwaukee Intermodal Station 5 mi, ~10m 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 52m	4h 28m	8h 14m	8h 22m
Total cost (1 person)	$115	$187	$58	$30
Carbon footprint	146 kg CO₂	76 kg CO₂	17 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 15, 2026.

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