Drive or Fly: Palmer, AK to Metlakatla, AK?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Flying wins

Medium

Flying saves significant time at this distance. Consider driving only if you enjoy the road trip.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

50h 7m

Distance

996.4 mi

Total Cost

$980

CO2

403 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$220

Hotel (1 room, 5 nights) $550

Meals (1 pax, 6 days) $210

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

− Requires 6 days of driving

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

4h 52m

1h 33m in the air

Air Distance

773 mi

Total Cost

$297

CO2

197 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Palmer, AK → MRI 54m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 93m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

KTN → Metlakatla, AK 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $242) $242

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Palmer, AK MRI — Merrill Field 36 mi, ~54m drive

Metlakatla, AK KTN — Ketchikan International Airport 17 mi, ~25m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MRI and KTN. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 45h 15m 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	50h 7m	4h 52m
Total cost (1 person)	$980	$297
Carbon footprint	403 kg CO₂	197 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 18, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Palmer, AK to Metlakatla, AK with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.