Drive or Fly: New Buffalo, MI to Sterling Heights, 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 MGC–DTW. At 227 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 15m

Distance

227.2 mi

Total Cost

$85

CO2

92 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$50

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 20m

24m in the air

Air Distance

198 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

50 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Buffalo, MI → MGC 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 24m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DTW → Sterling Heights, MI 45m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

New Buffalo, MI MGC — Michigan City Municipal Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

Sterling Heights, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 30 mi, ~45m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MGC 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 43m

4h 40m on rail

Total Cost

$38

CO2

11 kg

Route

Wolverine

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Buffalo, MI → New Buffalo Amtrak 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 280m

Arrival 10m

Troy Amtrak Station → Sterling Heights, MI 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $38) $38

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

Stations

From New Buffalo Amtrak 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Troy Amtrak Station 9 mi, ~13m 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

6h 17m

4h 55m on road

Total Cost

$18

CO2

10 kg

Route

Greyhound US0160

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Buffalo, MI → Benton Harbor Bus Stop (BNH6) 37m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 295m

Arrival 10m

Southfield Bus Stop (SHF6) → Sterling Heights, MI 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From BNH6 — Benton Harbor Bus Stop 25 mi, ~37m drive

To SHF6 — Southfield Bus Stop 13 mi, ~20m 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 15m	3h 20m	5h 43m	6h 17m
Total cost (1 person)	$85	$183	$38	$18
Carbon footprint	92 kg CO₂	50 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	10 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

227.2 mi 4h 15m

via I 94, M 14, I 96

Alternative (+45 min)

234.3 mi 5h 0m

via US 12, I 94, M 14

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from New Buffalo, MI to Sterling Heights, MI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.