Drive or Fly: Saint Clair Shores, MI to Macomb, 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 16 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

30m

Distance

16.8 mi

Total Cost

$39

CO2

7 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$4

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 47m

2m in the air

Air Distance

15 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Clair Shores, MI → DTW 46m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DTW → Macomb, MI 59m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Saint Clair Shores, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 31 mi, ~46m drive

Macomb, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 39 mi, ~59m 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 53m

30m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Wolverine

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Clair Shores, MI → Detroit 19m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 30m

Arrival 10m

Troy Amtrak Station → Macomb, MI 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From Detroit 13 mi, ~19m drive

To Troy Amtrak Station 16 mi, ~24m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~13/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 13 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 44m

25m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US0160

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Clair Shores, MI → Detroit Bus Station (DET6) 22m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 25m

Arrival 10m

Southfield Bus Stop (SHF6) → Macomb, MI 32m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From DET6 — Detroit Bus Station 15 mi, ~22m drive

To SHF6 — Southfield Bus Stop 21 mi, ~32m 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	30m	3h 47m	1h 53m	1h 44m
Total cost (1 person)	$39	$121	$3	$2
Carbon footprint	7 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	1 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Saint Clair Shores, MI to Macomb, MI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.