Drive or Fly: Milford, DE to Laurel, DE?

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 DOV–SBY. At 29 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

44m

Distance

29.9 mi

Total Cost

$42

CO2

12 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$7

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 49m

3m in the air

Air Distance

26 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

7 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Milford, DE → DOV 23m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SBY → Laurel, DE 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Milford, DE DOV — Dover Civil Air Terminal/Dover Air Force Base 15 mi, ~23m drive

Laurel, DE SBY — Salisbury Ocean City Wicomico Regional Airport 15 mi, ~23m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DOV and SBY. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 39m

1h 25m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

FlixBus 2608

Door-to-Door Timeline

Milford, DE → Dover (7-Eleven) (DOV6) 29m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 85m

Arrival 10m

Salisbury Park & Ride (SSB6) → Laurel, DE 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From DOV6 — Dover (7-Eleven) 19 mi, ~29m drive

To SSB6 — Salisbury Park & Ride 13 mi, ~20m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	44m	2h 49m	2h 39m
Total cost (1 person)	$42	$121	$6
Carbon footprint	12 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	3 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

29.9 mi 44m

via US 113, US 9

Shortest (+1 min)

29.6 mi 45m

via US 13, DE 36

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Milford, DE to Laurel, DE with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.