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Drive or Fly: Kenosha, WI to Adams, 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 MKE–CWA. At 179 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 39m

Distance

179.9 mi

Total Cost

$75

CO2

73 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$40
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 21m

17m in the air

Air Distance

138 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Kenosha, WI → MKE 38m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 17m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
CWA → Adams, WI 86m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Kenosha, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 25 mi, ~38m drive
Adams, WI CWA — Central Wisconsin Airport 57 mi, ~86m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MKE and CWA. 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

4h 5m

2h 36m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Kenosha, WI → Sturtevant Amtrak Station 15m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 156m
Arrival 10m
Wisconsin Dells Amtrak Station → Adams, WI 34m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From Sturtevant Amtrak Station 10 mi, ~15m drive
To Wisconsin Dells Amtrak Station 23 mi, ~34m 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

5h 1m

3h 20m on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

6 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Kenosha, WI → Milwaukee Mitchell Airport (5MK) 38m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 200m
Arrival 10m
Wisconsin Dells (McDonald's Commerce St) (WIS6) → Adams, WI 38m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From 5MK — Milwaukee Mitchell Airport 25 mi, ~38m drive
To WIS6 — Wisconsin Dells (McDonald's Commerce St) 25 mi, ~38m 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 3h 39m 4h 21m 4h 5m 5h 1m
Total cost (1 person) $75 $126 $23 $12
Carbon footprint 73 kg CO2 35 kg CO2 7 kg CO2 6 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest
179.9 mi 3h 38m

via I 94, I 41; I 94; US 41, WI 13

Shortest (+9 min)
179.5 mi 3h 47m

via I 39; I 90, WI 50, WI 13

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