Drive or Fly: Ontonagon, MI to Detroit, 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 CMX–DTW. At 575 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

10h 54m

Distance

575.6 mi

Total Cost

$308

CO2

233 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$128

Hotel (1 room, 1 night) $110

Meals (1 pax, 2 days) $70

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

− Requires 2 days of driving

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

4h 26m

53m in the air

Air Distance

440 mi

Total Cost

$193

CO2

112 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ontonagon, MI → CMX 66m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 53m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DTW → Detroit, MI 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $138) $138

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Ontonagon, MI CMX — Houghton County Memorial Airport 44 mi, ~66m drive

Detroit, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CMX and DTW. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 6h 28m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	10h 54m	4h 26m
Total cost (1 person)	$308	$193
Carbon footprint	233 kg CO₂	112 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Ontonagon, MI to Detroit, MI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.