Drive or Fly: Osceola, WI to Racine, 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 MSP–MKE. At 359 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 46m

Distance

359.4 mi

Total Cost

$115

CO2

145 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$80
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 59m

36m in the air

Air Distance

303 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

77 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Osceola, WI → MSP 59m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 36m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
MKE → Racine, WI 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Osceola, WI MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 40 mi, ~59m drive
Racine, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSP and MKE. 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

8h 1m

6h 23m on rail

Total Cost

$60

CO2

17 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Osceola, WI → St. Paul-Minneapolis 48m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 383m
Arrival 10m
Sturtevant Amtrak Station → Racine, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $60) $60

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

Stations

From St. Paul-Minneapolis 32 mi, ~48m drive
To Sturtevant Amtrak Station 6 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets
+ Walk around freely during the trip
+ Scenic views along the route
+ 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

8h 15m

6h 48m on road

Total Cost

$30

CO2

16 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Osceola, WI → Hudson (WI) (5HU) 37m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 408m
Arrival 10m
Milwaukee Mitchell Airport (5MK) → Racine, WI 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $30) $30

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

Stations

From 5HU — Hudson (WI) 25 mi, ~37m drive
To 5MK — Milwaukee Mitchell Airport 16 mi, ~25m 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 Train Bus
Door-to-door time 5h 46m 3h 59m 8h 1m 8h 15m
Total cost (1 person) $115 $187 $60 $30
Carbon footprint 145 kg CO2 77 kg CO2 17 kg CO2 16 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 13, 2026.

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