Drive or Fly: Milwaukee, WI to Red Cedar, WI?

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 MKE–EAU. At 269 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 5m

Distance

269.6 mi

Total Cost

$95

CO2

109 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$60

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 12m

27m in the air

Air Distance

229 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

58 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Milwaukee, WI → MKE 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 27m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

EAU → Red Cedar, WI 35m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Milwaukee, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

Red Cedar, WI EAU — Chippewa Valley Regional Airport 23 mi, ~35m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MKE and EAU. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 37m

4h 57m on rail

Total Cost

$51

CO2

15 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Milwaukee, WI → Milwaukee 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 297m

Arrival 10m

Red Wing Amtrak Station → Red Cedar, WI 50m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $51) $51

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

Stations

From Milwaukee 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Red Wing Amtrak Station 33 mi, ~50m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 25m

4h 23m on road

Total Cost

$24

CO2

13 kg

Route

Greyhound US0150

Door-to-Door Timeline

Milwaukee, WI → Milwaukee Intermodal Station (MKE6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 263m

Arrival 10m

Eau Claire (McDonald's) (5EU) → Red Cedar, WI 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $24) $24

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

Stations

From MKE6 — Milwaukee Intermodal Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To 5EU — Eau Claire (McDonald's) 18 mi, ~27m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	5h 5m	3h 12m	6h 37m	5h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$95	$184	$51	$24
Carbon footprint	109 kg CO₂	58 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂	13 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 Milwaukee, WI to Red Cedar, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.