Drive or Fly: Green, MI to Detroit, 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 CMX–DTW. At 581 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

11h 3m

Distance

581.7 mi

Total Cost

$309

CO2

235 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$129

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

4h 35m

53m in the air

Air Distance

442 mi

Total Cost

$193

CO2

113 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Green, MI → CMX 75m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 53m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DTW → Detroit, MI 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $138) $138

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Green, MI CMX — Houghton County Memorial Airport 50 mi, ~75m drive

Detroit, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 6h 28m 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	11h 3m	4h 35m
Total cost (1 person)	$309	$193
Carbon footprint	235 kg CO₂	113 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 13, 2026.

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