Drive or Fly: Great Falls, MT to Cut Bank, MT?

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 GTF–GTF. At 106 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 48m

Distance

106.8 mi

Total Cost

$59

CO2

43 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$24

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 37m

11m in the air

Air Distance

91 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

23 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Great Falls, MT → GTF 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

GTF → Cut Bank, MT 136m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Great Falls, MT GTF — Great Falls International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Cut Bank, MT GTF — Great Falls International Airport 91 mi, ~136m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between GTF and GTF. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 11m

30m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Great Falls, MT → Shelby Amtrak Station 111m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 30m

Arrival 10m

Cut Bank Amtrak Station → Cut Bank, MT 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From Shelby Amtrak Station 74 mi, ~111m drive

To Cut Bank Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	1h 48m	4h 37m	3h 11m
Total cost (1 person)	$59	$124	$5
Carbon footprint	43 kg CO₂	23 kg CO₂	1 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 — 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Great Falls, MT to Cut Bank, MT with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.