Drive or Fly: Saint Johns, 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 63 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

58m

Distance

63.7 mi

Total Cost

$49

CO2

26 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$14

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 38m

5m in the air

Air Distance

44 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Johns, MI → LAN 23m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FNT → Flint, MI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Saint Johns, MI LAN — Capital Region International Airport 16 mi, ~23m 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 23m

1h 3m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Blue Water

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Johns, MI → East Lansing Amtrak Station 30m

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 20 mi, ~30m 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

2h 3m

1h on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

FlixBus 2552

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Johns, MI → Lansing (Delta Center) (5LL) 28m

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) 19 mi, ~28m 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	58m	2h 38m	2h 23m	2h 3m
Total cost (1 person)	$49	$122	$9	$5
Carbon footprint	26 kg CO₂	11 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

48.4 mi 1h 8m

via M 21, I 69

Alternative (+1 min)

63.7 mi 1h 10m

via I 69, US 127

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