Drive or Fly: Milton, VT to Wilmington, VT?

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 BTV–RUT. At 183 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 50m

Distance

183 mi

Total Cost

$76

CO2

74 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$41

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 42m

15m in the air

Air Distance

123 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

31 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Milton, VT → BTV 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RUT → Wilmington, VT 69m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Milton, VT BTV — Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

Wilmington, VT RUT — Rutland - Southern Vermont Regional Airport 46 mi, ~69m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BTV and RUT. 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 36m

3h 17m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

Vermonter

Door-to-Door Timeline

Milton, VT → Essex Junction-Burlington Amtrak Station 15m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 197m

Arrival 10m

Brattleboro Amtrak Station → Wilmington, VT 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From Essex Junction-Burlington Amtrak Station 10 mi, ~15m drive

To Brattleboro Amtrak Station 16 mi, ~24m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	3h 50m	3h 42m	4h 36m
Total cost (1 person)	$76	$125	$23
Carbon footprint	74 kg CO₂	31 kg CO₂	7 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Milton, VT to Wilmington, VT with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.