Drive or Fly: Riverside, MI to Dearborn, 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 SBN–DTW. At 180 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 18m

Distance

180.8 mi

Total Cost

$75

CO2

73 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

3h 28m

20m in the air

Air Distance

164 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

42 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Riverside, MI → SBN 50m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DTW → Dearborn, MI 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Riverside, MI SBN — South Bend International Airport 33 mi, ~50m drive

Dearborn, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SBN and DTW. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 25m

4h 38m on road

Total Cost

$19

CO2

10 kg

Route

Greyhound US0160

Door-to-Door Timeline

Riverside, MI → Benton Harbor Bus Stop (BNH6) 12m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 278m

Arrival 10m

Detroit Bus Station (DET6) → Dearborn, MI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From BNH6 — Benton Harbor Bus Stop 8 mi, ~12m drive

To DET6 — Detroit Bus Station 6 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~21/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	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 18m	3h 28m	5h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$75	$127	$19
Carbon footprint	73 kg CO₂	42 kg CO₂	10 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: 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 13, 2026.

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