Drive or Fly: Livonia, MI to Mendon, 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 DTW–AZO. At 127 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 31m

Distance

127.8 mi

Total Cost

$63

CO2

52 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$28

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

2h 54m

13m in the air

Air Distance

110 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

28 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Livonia, MI → DTW 16m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

AZO → Mendon, MI 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Livonia, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

Mendon, MI AZO — Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport 16 mi, ~25m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DTW and AZO. 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 53m

2h 30m on rail

Total Cost

$24

CO2

7 kg

Route

Wolverine

Door-to-Door Timeline

Livonia, MI → Dearborn 11m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 150m

Arrival 10m

Kalamazoo → Mendon, MI 32m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $24) $24

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

Stations

From Dearborn 7 mi, ~11m drive

To Kalamazoo 21 mi, ~32m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~18/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

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 6m

2h 55m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US0160

Door-to-Door Timeline

Livonia, MI → Southfield Bus Stop (SHF6) 14m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 175m

Arrival 10m

Kalamazoo Bus Stop (KLZ6) → Mendon, MI 32m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From SHF6 — Southfield Bus Stop 9 mi, ~14m drive

To KLZ6 — Kalamazoo Bus Stop 21 mi, ~32m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 31m	2h 54m	3h 53m	4h 6m
Total cost (1 person)	$63	$124	$24	$13
Carbon footprint	52 kg CO₂	28 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	7 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

127.8 mi 2h 30m

via I 94, M 14, M 60

Shortest (+0 min)

120 mi 2h 30m

via M 60, I 94, M 14

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