Drive or Fly: Holmen, WI to Pleasant Prairie, 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 LSE–MKE. At 244 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 33m

Distance

244.4 mi

Total Cost

$89

CO2

99 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$54
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 14m

23m in the air

Air Distance

193 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

49 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Holmen, WI → LSE 10m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 23m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
MKE → Pleasant Prairie, WI 41m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Holmen, WI LSE — La Crosse Regional Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive
Pleasant Prairie, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 27 mi, ~41m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LSE and MKE. 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
May need a rental car at destination
Luggage fees and restrictions
Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 6m

3h 55m on rail

Total Cost

$37

CO2

11 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Holmen, WI → La Crosse 14m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 235m
Arrival 10m
Sturtevant Amtrak Station → Pleasant Prairie, WI 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $37) $37

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

Stations

From La Crosse 9 mi, ~14m drive
To Sturtevant Amtrak Station 11 mi, ~17m 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

At a Glance

Drive Fly Train
Door-to-door time 4h 33m 3h 14m 5h 6m
Total cost (1 person) $89 $183 $37
Carbon footprint 99 kg CO2 49 kg CO2 11 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Holmen, WI to Pleasant Prairie, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.