Drive or Fly: Minnehaha, WA to Bellevue, WA?

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 PDX–BFI. At 167 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 44m

Distance

167.3 mi

Total Cost

$72

CO2

68 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$37

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 37m

16m in the air

Air Distance

136 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Minnehaha, WA → PDX 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BFI → Bellevue, WA 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Minnehaha, WA PDX — Portland International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

Bellevue, WA BFI — King County International Airport - Boeing Field 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PDX and BFI. 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 7m

3h 7m on rail

Total Cost

$27

CO2

8 kg

Route

Amtrak Cascades

Door-to-Door Timeline

Minnehaha, WA → Vancouver 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 187m

Arrival 10m

Seattle → Bellevue, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $27) $27

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

Stations

From Vancouver 3 mi, ~10m drive

To Seattle 6 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/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 6 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 33m

3h 45m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

8 kg

Route

FlixBus 2110

Door-to-Door Timeline

Minnehaha, WA → Portland Curbside Bus Stop (PUT6) 13m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 225m

Arrival 10m

Seattle (6th Ave S & S Lane St) (1SE) → Bellevue, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From PUT6 — Portland Curbside Bus Stop 9 mi, ~13m drive

To 1SE — Seattle (6th Ave S & S Lane St) 6 mi, ~10m 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	2h 44m	2h 37m	4h 7m	4h 33m
Total cost (1 person)	$72	$125	$27	$16
Carbon footprint	68 kg CO₂	35 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	8 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 Minnehaha, WA to Bellevue, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.