Drive or Fly: Ironwood, 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 direct flights for RHI–DTW. Driving is the practical choice at this distance.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

11h 23m

Distance

600 mi

Total Cost

$313

CO2

242 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$133

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

54m in the air

Air Distance

452 mi

Total Cost

$193

CO2

115 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ironwood, MI → RHI 99m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 54m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DTW → Detroit, MI 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $138) $138

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Ironwood, MI RHI — Rhinelander Oneida County Airport 66 mi, ~99m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 6h 23m 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 23m	5h
Total cost (1 person)	$313	$193
Carbon footprint	242 kg CO₂	115 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 Ironwood, MI to Detroit, MI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.