Drive or Fly: Royal Oak, MI to Brighton, 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–FNT. At 35 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

44m

Distance

35.7 mi

Total Cost

$43

CO2

14 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$8

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 23m

4m in the air

Air Distance

32 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

8 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Royal Oak, MI → DTW 33m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FNT → Brighton, MI 46m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Royal Oak, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive

Brighton, MI FNT — Bishop International Airport 30 mi, ~46m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DTW 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 23m

1h 8m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Wolverine

Door-to-Door Timeline

Royal Oak, MI → Royal Oak Amtrak 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 68m

Arrival 10m

Ann Arbor Amtrak Station → Brighton, MI 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From Royal Oak Amtrak 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Ann Arbor Amtrak Station 17 mi, ~25m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~18/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

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 40m

40m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0160

Door-to-Door Timeline

Royal Oak, MI → Southfield Bus Stop (SHF6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 40m

Arrival 10m

Ann Arbor (5AB) → Brighton, MI 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From SHF6 — Southfield Bus Stop 6 mi, ~10m drive

To 5AB — Ann Arbor 17 mi, ~25m 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	44m	3h 23m	2h 23m	1h 40m
Total cost (1 person)	$43	$121	$7	$3
Carbon footprint	14 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	2 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 Royal Oak, MI to Brighton, MI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.