Drive or Fly: Monroe, WA to Redmond, 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–BFI. At 20 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

33m

Distance

20.5 mi

Total Cost

$40

CO2

8 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$5

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 44m

2m in the air

Air Distance

14 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Monroe, WA → PAE 22m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BFI → Redmond, WA 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

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

Redmond, WA BFI — King County International Airport - Boeing Field 13 mi, ~20m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PAE 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

2h 32m

1h 15m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Monroe, WA → Everett Amtrak Station 20m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 75m

Arrival 10m

Seattle → Redmond, WA 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From Everett Amtrak Station 13 mi, ~20m drive

To Seattle 11 mi, ~17m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 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	33m	2h 44m	2h 32m
Total cost (1 person)	$40	$121	$5
Carbon footprint	8 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	2 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 Monroe, WA to Redmond, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.