Drive or Fly: Phoenix, OR to Bend, OR?

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 MFR–RDM. At 178 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 7m

Distance

178 mi

Total Cost

$75

CO2

72 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$40

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 52m

17m in the air

Air Distance

145 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Phoenix, OR → MFR 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RDM → Bend, OR 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Phoenix, OR MFR — Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

Bend, OR RDM — Roberts Field 16 mi, ~24m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MFR and RDM. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 50m

1h 16m on rail

Total Cost

$14

CO2

4 kg

Route

Coast Starlight

Door-to-Door Timeline

Phoenix, OR → Klamath Falls 80m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 76m

Arrival 10m

Chemult → Bend, OR 94m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $14) $14

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

Stations

From Klamath Falls 54 mi, ~80m drive

To Chemult 63 mi, ~94m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	4h 7m	2h 52m	4h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$75	$126	$14
Carbon footprint	72 kg CO₂	37 kg CO₂	4 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 — 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 Phoenix, OR to Bend, OR with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.