Skip to main content

Drive or Fly: Mount Vista, 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 PDX–BLI. At 249 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 58m

Distance

249.1 mi

Total Cost

$90

CO2

101 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$55
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 50m

25m in the air

Air Distance

209 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

53 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Vista, WA → PDX 15m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 25m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
BLI → Bellingham, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Mount Vista, WA PDX — Portland International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive
Bellingham, WA BLI — Bellingham International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PDX and BLI. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 8m compared to driving
+ Less physical fatigue
+ Predictable arrival time
Airport security and check-in overhead
No scheduled commercial flights found for this route
May need a rental car at destination
Luggage fees and restrictions
Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 38m

5h 36m on rail

Total Cost

$43

CO2

12 kg

Route

Amtrak Cascades

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Vista, WA → Vancouver 12m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 336m
Arrival 10m
Bellingham Amtrak Station → Bellingham, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $43) $43

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

Stations

From Vancouver 8 mi, ~12m drive
To Bellingham Amtrak Station 3 mi, ~10m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

7h 1m

6h 5m on road

Total Cost

$24

CO2

13 kg

Route

FlixBus 2115

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Vista, WA → Portland Curbside Bus Stop (PUT6) 21m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 365m
Arrival 10m
Bellingham (WWU - Lincoln Creek Park & Ride) (1BH) → Bellingham, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $24) $24

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

Stations

From PUT6 — Portland Curbside Bus Stop 14 mi, ~21m drive
To 1BH — Bellingham (WWU - Lincoln Creek Park & Ride) 2 mi, ~10m 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 4h 58m 2h 50m 6h 38m 7h 1m
Total cost (1 person) $90 $183 $43 $24
Carbon footprint 101 kg CO2 53 kg CO2 12 kg CO2 13 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 17, 2026.

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