Drive or Fly: Lansing, MI to Reed City, 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 LAN–TVC. At 134 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 24m

Distance

134.1 mi

Total Cost

$65

CO2

54 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$30

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 51m

11m in the air

Air Distance

92 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

24 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lansing, MI → LAN 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TVC → Reed City, MI 90m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Lansing, MI LAN — Capital Region International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Reed City, MI TVC — Cherry Capital Airport 60 mi, ~90m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LAN and TVC. 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

3h 14m

1h on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

FlixBus 2552

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lansing, MI → Lansing (Delta Center) (5LL) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 60m

Arrival 10m

Grand Rapids (The Shops at Centerpoint) (5GR) → Reed City, MI 99m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From 5LL — Lansing (Delta Center) 4 mi, ~10m drive

To 5GR — Grand Rapids (The Shops at Centerpoint) 66 mi, ~99m 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 24m	3h 51m	3h 14m
Total cost (1 person)	$65	$124	$5
Carbon footprint	54 kg CO₂	24 kg CO₂	3 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

134.1 mi 2h 23m

via US 131, I 96, I 96; M 37

Shortest (+3 min)

127.7 mi 2h 27m

via US 127, US 10

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Lansing, MI to Reed City, MI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.