Drive or Fly: Mount Vernon, WA to Lake Cavanaugh, 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–PAE. At 20 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

39m

Distance

20 mi

Total Cost

$39

CO2

8 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$4

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 30m

2m in the air

Air Distance

16 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Vernon, WA → BLI 41m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PAE → Lake Cavanaugh, WA 47m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

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

Lake Cavanaugh, WA PAE — Seattle Paine Field International Airport 31 mi, ~47m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BLI and PAE. 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	39m	3h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$39	$121
Carbon footprint	8 kg CO₂	4 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

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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

20 mi 39m

via Lake Cavanaugh Road, WA 9

Alternative (+8 min)

27.2 mi 47m

via Lake Cavanaugh Road, WA 534, I 5

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Mount Vernon, WA to Lake Cavanaugh, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.