Drive or Fly: Lake Isabella, MI to Detroit, MI?

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 MBS–DTW. At 169 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 40m

Distance

169.6 mi

Total Cost

$72

CO2

69 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$37

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 53m

16m in the air

Air Distance

134 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

34 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake Isabella, MI → MBS 70m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DTW → Detroit, MI 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Lake Isabella, MI MBS — MBS International Airport 46 mi, ~70m drive

Detroit, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MBS and DTW. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 37m

3h 35m on road

Total Cost

$15

CO2

8 kg

Route

FlixBus 2552

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake Isabella, MI → Grand Rapids (The Shops at Centerpoint) (5GR) 87m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 215m

Arrival 10m

Detroit Bus Station (DET6) → Detroit, MI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From 5GR — Grand Rapids (The Shops at Centerpoint) 58 mi, ~87m drive

To DET6 — Detroit Bus Station 1 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 40m	3h 53m	5h 37m
Total cost (1 person)	$72	$125	$15
Carbon footprint	69 kg CO₂	34 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: 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

169.7 mi 3h 15m

via I 96, US 127, BUS US 127

Shortest (+4 min)

168.3 mi 3h 20m

via I 75, I 75; US 23, M 20

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Lake Isabella, MI to Detroit, MI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.