Drive or Fly: Riley, MI to Flint, MI?

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 LAN–FNT. At 65 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 5m

Distance

65.8 mi

Total Cost

$50

CO2

27 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$15

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 32m

6m in the air

Air Distance

51 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

13 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Riley, MI → LAN 16m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FNT → Flint, MI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Riley, MI LAN — Capital Region International Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

Flint, MI FNT — Bishop International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LAN and FNT. 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 18m

1h 3m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Blue Water

Door-to-Door Timeline

Riley, MI → East Lansing Amtrak Station 25m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 63m

Arrival 10m

Flint Amtrak Station → Flint, MI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From East Lansing Amtrak Station 16 mi, ~25m drive

To Flint Amtrak Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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 7 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 54m

1h on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

FlixBus 2552

Door-to-Door Timeline

Riley, MI → Lansing (Delta Center) (5LL) 19m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 60m

Arrival 10m

Flint (Miller Rd) (5FI) → Flint, MI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From 5LL — Lansing (Delta Center) 12 mi, ~19m drive

To 5FI — Flint (Miller Rd) 3 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− 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 5m	2h 32m	2h 18m	1h 54m
Total cost (1 person)	$50	$122	$9	$5
Carbon footprint	27 kg CO₂	13 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	3 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

64.6 mi 1h 16m

via I 69, South Francis Road

Shortest (+12 min)

60.7 mi 1h 29m

via M 21, I 69, West Price Road

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Riley, MI to Flint, MI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.