Drive or Fly: New Berlin, WI to Chilton, WI?

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 MKE–ATW. At 87 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 58m

Distance

87.9 mi

Total Cost

$55

CO2

36 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$20
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 1m

9m in the air

Air Distance

73 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

19 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Berlin, WI → MKE 16m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 9m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
ATW → Chilton, WI 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

New Berlin, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive
Chilton, WI ATW — Appleton International Airport 24 mi, ~36m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MKE and ATW. 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 2m

1h 32m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

4 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Berlin, WI → General Mitchell Intl. Airport Amtrak Station 14m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 92m
Arrival 10m
Columbus Amtrak Station → Chilton, WI 96m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From General Mitchell Intl. Airport Amtrak Station 10 mi, ~14m drive
To Columbus Amtrak Station 64 mi, ~96m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 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 58m 3h 1m 4h 2m
Total cost (1 person) $55 $123 $12
Carbon footprint 36 kg CO2 19 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
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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from New Berlin, WI to Chilton, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.