Drive or Fly: La Crosse, WI to Pleasant Prairie, 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 LSE–MKE. At 242 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 36m

Distance

242.1 mi

Total Cost

$89

CO2

98 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$54

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

3h 14m

23m in the air

Air Distance

188 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

48 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

La Crosse, WI → LSE 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 23m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MKE → Pleasant Prairie, WI 41m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

La Crosse, WI LSE — La Crosse Regional Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

Pleasant Prairie, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 27 mi, ~41m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LSE and MKE. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 2m

3h 55m on rail

Total Cost

$37

CO2

11 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

La Crosse, WI → La Crosse 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 235m

Arrival 10m

Sturtevant Amtrak Station → Pleasant Prairie, WI 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $37) $37

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

Stations

From La Crosse 2 mi, ~10m drive

To Sturtevant Amtrak Station 11 mi, ~17m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	4h 36m	3h 14m	5h 2m
Total cost (1 person)	$89	$183	$37
Carbon footprint	98 kg CO₂	48 kg CO₂	11 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 — 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from La Crosse, WI to Pleasant Prairie, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.