Drive or Fly: Leon, WI to Milwaukee, 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 187 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 27m

Distance

187.5 mi

Total Cost

$76

CO2

76 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$41

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 1m

19m in the air

Air Distance

158 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

40 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Leon, WI → LSE 32m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MKE → Milwaukee, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Leon, WI LSE — La Crosse Regional Airport 21 mi, ~32m drive

Milwaukee, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 6 mi, ~10m 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 58m

2h 41m on rail

Total Cost

$29

CO2

8 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Leon, WI → Tomah Amtrak Station 27m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 161m

Arrival 10m

Milwaukee → Milwaukee, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $29) $29

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

Stations

From Tomah Amtrak Station 18 mi, ~27m drive

To Milwaukee 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 48m

2h 45m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

8 kg

Route

Greyhound US0150

Door-to-Door Timeline

Leon, WI → Tomah (McDonald's) (TOM6) 28m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 165m

Arrival 10m

Milwaukee Intermodal Station (MKE6) → Milwaukee, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From TOM6 — Tomah (McDonald's) 19 mi, ~28m drive

To MKE6 — Milwaukee Intermodal Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− 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	3h 27m	3h 1m	3h 58m	3h 48m
Total cost (1 person)	$76	$126	$29	$16
Carbon footprint	76 kg CO₂	40 kg CO₂	8 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

187.5 mi 3h 26m

via I 90, I 94

Alternative (+30 min)

194.4 mi 3h 56m

via I 90, I 94, WI 16

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Leon, WI to Milwaukee, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.