Drive or Fly: Maple Grove, MN to New London, MN?

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 MSP–STC. At 96 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 50m

Distance

96.3 mi

Total Cost

$56

CO2

39 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$21

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 44m

9m in the air

Air Distance

74 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

19 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Maple Grove, MN → MSP 26m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

STC → New London, MN 69m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Maple Grove, MN MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 18 mi, ~26m drive

New London, MN STC — Saint Cloud Regional Airport 46 mi, ~69m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSP and STC. 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

4h 10m

1h 56m on rail

Total Cost

$13

CO2

4 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Maple Grove, MN → St. Paul-Minneapolis 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 116m

Arrival 10m

St. Cloud Amtrak Station → New London, MN 64m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From St. Paul-Minneapolis 20 mi, ~30m drive

To St. Cloud Amtrak Station 43 mi, ~64m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	1h 50m	3h 44m	4h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$56	$123	$13
Carbon footprint	39 kg CO₂	19 kg CO₂	4 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 — 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

96.3 mi 1h 50m

via I 94, MN 23

Shortest (+9 min)

89.7 mi 1h 59m

via MN 24; MN 55, MN 55; CR 35, MN 23

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Maple Grove, MN to New London, MN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.