Drive or Fly: Ketchikan, AK to Fairbanks, 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:

Drive

Door to Door

55h 43m

Distance

1294.2 mi

Total Cost

$1,048

CO2

523 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$288

Hotel (1 room, 5 nights) $550

Meals (1 pax, 6 days) $210

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

− Requires 6 days of driving

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

4h 2m

1h 42m in the air

Air Distance

853 mi

Total Cost

$303

CO2

218 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ketchikan, AK → KTN 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 102m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FAI → Fairbanks, AK 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $248) $248

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Fairbanks, AK FAI — Fairbanks International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 51h 41m 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	55h 43m	4h 2m
Total cost (1 person)	$1,048	$303
Carbon footprint	523 kg CO₂	218 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 Ketchikan, AK to Fairbanks, AK with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.