Drive or Fly: Saint Paul, MN to Little Falls, MN?

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 MSP–BRD. At 106 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 10m

Distance

106.1 mi

Total Cost

$59

CO2

43 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$24

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 10m

11m in the air

Air Distance

94 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

24 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Paul, MN → MSP 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BRD → Little Falls, MN 47m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Saint Paul, MN MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 8 mi, ~12m drive

Little Falls, MN BRD — Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport 32 mi, ~47m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSP and BRD. 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

3h 31m

1h 56m on rail

Total Cost

$13

CO2

4 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Paul, MN → St. Paul-Minneapolis 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 116m

Arrival 10m

St. Cloud Amtrak Station → Little Falls, MN 45m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From St. Paul-Minneapolis 0 mi, ~10m drive

To St. Cloud Amtrak Station 30 mi, ~45m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	2h 10m	3h 10m	3h 31m
Total cost (1 person)	$59	$124	$13
Carbon footprint	43 kg CO₂	24 kg CO₂	4 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 — 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 Paul, MN to Little Falls, MN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.