Drive or Fly: Racine, WI to Lodi, 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 MKE–MSN. At 118 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 25m

Distance

118.2 mi

Total Cost

$61

CO2

48 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$26

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 59m

12m in the air

Air Distance

97 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

25 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Racine, WI → MKE 24m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSN → Lodi, WI 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Racine, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

Lodi, WI MSN — Dane County Regional Truax Field 15 mi, ~23m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MKE and MSN. 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

3h 29m

2h 14m on rail

Total Cost

$19

CO2

6 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Racine, WI → Sturtevant Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 134m

Arrival 10m

Portage → Lodi, WI 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From Sturtevant Amtrak Station 6 mi, ~10m drive

To Portage 16 mi, ~25m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 27m

2h 10m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Racine, WI → Milwaukee Mitchell Airport (5MK) 25m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 130m

Arrival 10m

Madison (Madison Campus WI) (MADI) → Lodi, WI 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From 5MK — Milwaukee Mitchell Airport 16 mi, ~25m drive

To MADI — Madison (Madison Campus WI) 18 mi, ~27m 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	2h 25m	2h 59m	3h 29m	3h 27m
Total cost (1 person)	$61	$124	$19	$8
Carbon footprint	48 kg CO₂	25 kg CO₂	6 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 12, 2026.

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