Drive or Fly: Milan, MI to Sterling Heights, 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–DTW. At 66 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 23m

Distance

66.3 mi

Total Cost

$50

CO2

27 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$15

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 20m

6m in the air

Air Distance

48 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

12 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Milan, MI → DTW 29m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DTW → Sterling Heights, MI 45m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Milan, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 19 mi, ~29m drive

Sterling Heights, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 30 mi, ~45m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DTW and DTW. 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

2h 47m

1h 33m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Wolverine

Door-to-Door Timeline

Milan, MI → Ann Arbor Amtrak Station 21m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 93m

Arrival 10m

Troy Amtrak Station → Sterling Heights, MI 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From Ann Arbor Amtrak Station 14 mi, ~21m drive

To Troy Amtrak Station 9 mi, ~13m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~13/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 13 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 46m

40m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0160

Door-to-Door Timeline

Milan, MI → Ann Arbor (5AB) 21m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 40m

Arrival 10m

Southfield Bus Stop (SHF6) → Sterling Heights, MI 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From 5AB — Ann Arbor 14 mi, ~21m drive

To SHF6 — Southfield Bus Stop 13 mi, ~20m 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	1h 23m	3h 20m	2h 47m	1h 46m
Total cost (1 person)	$50	$122	$7	$3
Carbon footprint	27 kg CO₂	12 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	2 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 14, 2026.

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