Drive or Fly: Saint Joseph, MI to Ann Arbor, 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 146 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 26m

Distance

146.8 mi

Total Cost

$68

CO2

59 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$33

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 31m

17m in the air

Air Distance

141 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

36 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Joseph, MI → SBN 44m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DTW → Ann Arbor, MI 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Saint Joseph, MI SBN — South Bend International Airport 29 mi, ~44m drive

Ann Arbor, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 20 mi, ~30m 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

4h 17m

3h 32m on road

Total Cost

$15

CO2

8 kg

Route

Greyhound US0160

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Joseph, MI → Benton Harbor Bus Stop (BNH6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 212m

Arrival 10m

Ann Arbor (5AB) → Ann Arbor, MI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From BNH6 — Benton Harbor Bus Stop 3 mi, ~10m drive

To 5AB — Ann Arbor 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 26m	3h 31m	4h 17m
Total cost (1 person)	$68	$126	$15
Carbon footprint	59 kg CO₂	36 kg CO₂	8 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 12, 2026.

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