Drive or Fly: Oak Park Heights, MN to Apple Valley, MN?

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 MSP–MSP. At 38 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

52m

Distance

38.4 mi

Total Cost

$43

CO2

16 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$8

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 54m

4m in the air

Air Distance

29 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

7 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oak Park Heights, MN → MSP 35m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSP → Apple Valley, MN 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Oak Park Heights, MN MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 23 mi, ~35m drive

Apple Valley, MN MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 10 mi, ~15m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSP and MSP. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 22m

23m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oak Park Heights, MN → Hudson (WI) (5HU) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 23m

Arrival 10m

Saint Paul Union Depot (STP6) → Apple Valley, MN 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From 5HU — Hudson (WI) 6 mi, ~10m drive

To STP6 — Saint Paul Union Depot 16 mi, ~24m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	52m	2h 54m	1h 22m
Total cost (1 person)	$43	$121	$2
Carbon footprint	16 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	1 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: 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

38.4 mi 51m

via I 494, MN 95, I 35E

Shortest (+1 min)

38.2 mi 52m

via MN 36, I 35E, I 35E; US 10

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Oak Park Heights, MN to Apple Valley, MN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.