Drive or Fly: La Center, WA to Kent, WA?

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 PDX–SEA. At 138 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 19m

Distance

138.9 mi

Total Cost

$66

CO2

56 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$31

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

2h 52m

13m in the air

Air Distance

107 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

27 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

La Center, WA → PDX 29m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SEA → Kent, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

La Center, WA PDX — Portland International Airport 19 mi, ~29m drive

Kent, WA SEA — Seattle–Tacoma International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PDX and SEA. 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

2h 46m on rail

Total Cost

$26

CO2

7 kg

Route

Amtrak Cascades

Door-to-Door Timeline

La Center, WA → Vancouver 24m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 166m

Arrival 10m

Tukwila Amtrak → Kent, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From Vancouver 16 mi, ~24m drive

To Tukwila Amtrak 6 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/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 6 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 19m

3h 10m on road

Total Cost

$15

CO2

8 kg

Route

FlixBus 2110

Door-to-Door Timeline

La Center, WA → Portland Curbside Bus Stop (PUT6) 34m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 190m

Arrival 10m

Seattle Tacoma Intl Airport (SAP6) → Kent, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From PUT6 — Portland Curbside Bus Stop 23 mi, ~34m drive

To SAP6 — Seattle Tacoma Intl Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− 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	2h 19m	2h 52m	4h	4h 19m
Total cost (1 person)	$66	$124	$26	$15
Carbon footprint	56 kg CO₂	27 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	8 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from La Center, WA to Kent, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.