Drive or Fly: L'Anse, MI to Ann Arbor, 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 CMX–DTW. At 506 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

9h 36m

Distance

506.5 mi

Total Cost

$147

CO2

205 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$112

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 59m

46m in the air

Air Distance

387 mi

Total Cost

$190

CO2

99 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

L'Anse, MI → CMX 43m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 46m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DTW → Ann Arbor, MI 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $135) $135

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

L'Anse, MI CMX — Houghton County Memorial Airport 29 mi, ~43m drive

Ann Arbor, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 20 mi, ~30m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CMX and DTW. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 5h 37m 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	9h 36m	3h 59m
Total cost (1 person)	$147	$190
Carbon footprint	205 kg CO₂	99 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 L'Anse, MI to Ann Arbor, MI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.