Drive or Fly: Redmond, WA to West Valley, WA?

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 BFI–YKM. At 145 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 53m

Distance

145.3 mi

Total Cost

$67

CO2

59 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$32

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 42m

12m in the air

Air Distance

103 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

26 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Redmond, WA → BFI 20m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

YKM → West Valley, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Redmond, WA BFI — King County International Airport - Boeing Field 13 mi, ~20m drive

West Valley, WA YKM — Yakima Air Terminal McAllister Field 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BFI and YKM. 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

6h 22m

3h 56m on rail

Total Cost

$19

CO2

6 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Redmond, WA → Seattle 17m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 236m

Arrival 10m

Wenatchee Amtrak → West Valley, WA 89m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From Seattle 11 mi, ~17m drive

To Wenatchee Amtrak 59 mi, ~89m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 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	2h 53m	2h 42m	6h 22m
Total cost (1 person)	$67	$124	$19
Carbon footprint	59 kg CO₂	26 kg CO₂	6 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 18, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Redmond, WA to West Valley, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.