Drive or Fly: Ketchikan, AK to Big Lake, AK?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Flying wins

Medium

Flying saves significant time at this distance. Consider driving only if you enjoy the road trip.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

49h 54m

Distance

998.9 mi

Total Cost

$836

CO2

404 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$221

Hotel (1 room, 4 nights) $440

Meals (1 pax, 5 days) $175

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

− Requires 5 days of driving

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

4h 16m

1h 34m in the air

Air Distance

784 mi

Total Cost

$298

CO2

200 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ketchikan, AK → KTN 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 94m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MRI → Big Lake, AK 32m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $243) $243

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Ketchikan, AK KTN — Ketchikan International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

Big Lake, AK MRI — Merrill Field 22 mi, ~32m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between KTN and MRI. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 45h 38m 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	49h 54m	4h 16m
Total cost (1 person)	$836	$298
Carbon footprint	404 kg CO₂	200 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Ketchikan, AK to Big Lake, AK with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.