Drive or Fly: Long Beach, WA to Spokane, WA?

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 OLM–GEG. At 430 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

8h 40m

Distance

430.4 mi

Total Cost

$131

CO2

174 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$96

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

4h 33m

39m in the air

Air Distance

325 mi

Total Cost

$188

CO2

83 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Long Beach, WA → OLM 104m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 39m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

GEG → Spokane, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $133) $133

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Long Beach, WA OLM — Olympia Regional Airport 69 mi, ~104m drive

Spokane, WA GEG — Spokane International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between OLM and GEG. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 4h 7m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

9h 49m

7h 25m on road

Total Cost

$29

CO2

15 kg

Route

FlixBus 2120

Door-to-Door Timeline

Long Beach, WA → Olympia (Intercity Transit Center) (1OL) 109m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 445m

Arrival 10m

Spokane Station (SPO6) → Spokane, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $29) $29

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

Stations

From 1OL — Olympia (Intercity Transit Center) 73 mi, ~109m drive

To SPO6 — Spokane 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	8h 40m	4h 33m	9h 49m
Total cost (1 person)	$131	$188	$29
Carbon footprint	174 kg CO₂	83 kg CO₂	15 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Long Beach, WA to Spokane, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.