Drive or Fly: Mount Vernon, WA to Federal Way, 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 BLI–SEA. At 83 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 45m

Distance

83.5 mi

Total Cost

$53

CO2

34 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$18

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 3m

9m in the air

Air Distance

76 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

19 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Vernon, WA → BLI 41m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SEA → Federal Way, WA 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Mount Vernon, WA BLI — Bellingham International Airport 27 mi, ~41m drive

Federal Way, WA SEA — Seattle–Tacoma International Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BLI and SEA. 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 14m

3h 12m on rail

Total Cost

$16

CO2

5 kg

Route

Amtrak Cascades

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Vernon, WA → Mount Vernon Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 192m

Arrival 10m

Tacoma → Federal Way, WA 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From Mount Vernon Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Tacoma 8 mi, ~12m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 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 45m	3h 3m	4h 14m
Total cost (1 person)	$53	$123	$16
Carbon footprint	34 kg CO₂	19 kg CO₂	5 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 Mount Vernon, WA to Federal Way, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.