Drive or Fly: Mount Clemens, MI to Preston Corners, MI?

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 DTW–DTW. At 11 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

19m

Distance

11.7 mi

Total Cost

$38

CO2

5 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

3h 52m

1m in the air

Air Distance

9 mi

Total Cost

$120

CO2

2 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Clemens, MI → DTW 54m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 1m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DTW → Preston Corners, MI 57m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $120) $120

Airports

Mount Clemens, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 36 mi, ~54m drive

Preston Corners, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 38 mi, ~57m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DTW and DTW. 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

1h 32m

7m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

0 kg

Route

Wolverine

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Clemens, MI → Royal Oak Amtrak 23m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 7m

Arrival 10m

Troy Amtrak Station → Preston Corners, MI 22m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

From Royal Oak Amtrak 16 mi, ~23m drive

To Troy Amtrak Station 15 mi, ~22m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~13/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 13 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 51m

25m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US0160

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Clemens, MI → Detroit Bus Station (DET6) 31m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 25m

Arrival 10m

Southfield Bus Stop (SHF6) → Preston Corners, MI 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From DET6 — Detroit Bus Station 21 mi, ~31m drive

To SHF6 — Southfield Bus Stop 20 mi, ~30m 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	19m	3h 52m	1h 32m	1h 51m
Total cost (1 person)	$38	$120	$1	$2
Carbon footprint	5 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	0 kg CO₂	1 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Mount Clemens, MI to Preston Corners, MI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.