Drive or Fly: Lynden, WA to Auburn, 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 BLI–SEA. At 125 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 42m

Distance

125.8 mi

Total Cost

$63

CO2

51 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 47m

14m in the air

Air Distance

114 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

29 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lynden, WA → BLI 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SEA → Auburn, WA 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Lynden, WA BLI — Bellingham International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

Auburn, WA SEA — Seattle–Tacoma International Airport 10 mi, ~16m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BLI and SEA. 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

5h 1m

3h 41m on rail

Total Cost

$20

CO2

6 kg

Route

Amtrak Cascades

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lynden, WA → Bellingham Amtrak Station 24m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 221m

Arrival 10m

Tacoma → Auburn, WA 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From Bellingham Amtrak Station 16 mi, ~24m drive

To Tacoma 10 mi, ~16m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 37m

2h 35m on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

5 kg

Route

FlixBus 2115

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lynden, WA → Bellingham (WWU - Lincoln Creek Park & Ride) (1BH) 22m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 155m

Arrival 10m

Seattle Tacoma Intl Airport (SAP6) → Auburn, WA 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From 1BH — Bellingham (WWU - Lincoln Creek Park & Ride) 15 mi, ~22m drive

To SAP6 — Seattle Tacoma Intl Airport 10 mi, ~15m 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 42m	2h 47m	5h 1m	3h 37m
Total cost (1 person)	$63	$125	$20	$10
Carbon footprint	51 kg CO₂	29 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	5 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 13, 2026.

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