Drive or Fly: Monona, WI to Fitchburg, 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 MSN–MSN. At 15 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

25m

Distance

15.7 mi

Total Cost

$38

CO2

6 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$3

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 32m

1m in the air

Air Distance

10 mi

Total Cost

$120

CO2

3 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Monona, WI → MSN 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 1m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSN → Fitchburg, WI 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $120) $120

Airports

Monona, WI MSN — Dane County Regional Truax Field 5 mi, ~10m drive

Fitchburg, WI MSN — Dane County Regional Truax Field 14 mi, ~21m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSN and MSN. 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

1h 3m

15m on road

Total Cost

CO2

0 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Monona, WI → Madison (Dutch Mill Park & Ride) (5MU) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 15m

Arrival 10m

Madison (Madison Campus WI) (MADI) → Fitchburg, WI 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

From 5MU — Madison (Dutch Mill Park & Ride) 2 mi, ~10m drive

To MADI — Madison (Madison Campus WI) 8 mi, ~13m 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	25m	2h 32m	1h 3m
Total cost (1 person)	$38	$120	$1
Carbon footprint	6 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	0 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Monona, WI to Fitchburg, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.