Drive or Fly: Romulus, MI to Detroit, 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 DTW–DTW. At 23 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

31m

Distance

23.4 mi

Total Cost

$40

CO2

9 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$5

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 39m

2m in the air

Air Distance

19 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

5 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Romulus, MI → DTW 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DTW → Detroit, MI 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Romulus, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 2 mi, ~10m drive

Detroit, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DTW 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

1h 25m

20m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Romulus, MI → Dearborn 15m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 20m

Arrival 10m

Detroit → Detroit, MI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From Dearborn 10 mi, ~15m drive

To Detroit 3 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

58m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0160

Door-to-Door Timeline

Romulus, MI → Ann Arbor (5AB) 27m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 58m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From 5AB — Ann Arbor 18 mi, ~27m drive

To DET6 — Detroit Bus Station 1 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	31m	2h 39m	1h 25m	2h
Total cost (1 person)	$40	$121	$2	$4
Carbon footprint	9 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	2 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 Romulus, MI to Detroit, MI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.