Drive or Fly: Poynette, WI to Menomonee Falls, 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 MSN–MKE. At 82 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 53m

Distance

82.6 mi

Total Cost

$53

CO2

33 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$18

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 3m

8m in the air

Air Distance

66 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

17 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Poynette, WI → MSN 26m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MKE → Menomonee Falls, WI 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Poynette, WI MSN — Dane County Regional Truax Field 18 mi, ~26m drive

Menomonee Falls, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 20 mi, ~29m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSN 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

2h 58m

1h 40m on rail

Total Cost

$17

CO2

5 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Poynette, WI → Portage 17m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 100m

Arrival 10m

Milwaukee → Menomonee Falls, WI 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From Portage 11 mi, ~17m drive

To Milwaukee 14 mi, ~21m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 36m

1h 23m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Poynette, WI → Madison (Madison Campus WI) (MADI) 33m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 83m

Arrival 10m

Goerke's Corners Park & Ride (5WG) → Menomonee Falls, WI 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From MADI — Madison (Madison Campus WI) 22 mi, ~33m drive

To 5WG — Goerke's Corners Park & Ride 10 mi, ~15m 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	1h 53m	3h 3m	2h 58m	2h 36m
Total cost (1 person)	$53	$123	$17	$7
Carbon footprint	33 kg CO₂	17 kg CO₂	5 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, 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

82.6 mi 1h 52m

via WI 33, I 41; US 41, WI 60

Alternative (+1 min)

94.3 mi 1h 54m

via I 94, I 39; I 90; I 94, CTH F

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