Drive or Fly: Monroe, WA to Bellingham, 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 PAE–BLI. At 76 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 35m

Distance

76 mi

Total Cost

$52

CO2

31 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$17

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 40m

8m in the air

Air Distance

67 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

17 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Monroe, WA → PAE 22m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BLI → Bellingham, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Monroe, WA PAE — Seattle Paine Field International Airport 15 mi, ~22m drive

Bellingham, WA BLI — Bellingham International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PAE and BLI. 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

2h 23m

1h 13m on rail

Total Cost

$11

CO2

3 kg

Route

Amtrak Cascades

Door-to-Door Timeline

Monroe, WA → Everett Amtrak Station 20m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 73m

Arrival 10m

Bellingham Amtrak Station → Bellingham, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From Everett Amtrak Station 13 mi, ~20m drive

To Bellingham Amtrak Station 3 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 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	1h 35m	2h 40m	2h 23m
Total cost (1 person)	$52	$123	$11
Carbon footprint	31 kg CO₂	17 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: 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Monroe, WA to Bellingham, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.