Drive or Fly: South Lyon, MI to Westland, 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 29 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

33m

Distance

29.4 mi

Total Cost

$42

CO2

12 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$7

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 48m

2m in the air

Air Distance

16 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

South Lyon, MI → DTW 34m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DTW → Westland, MI 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

South Lyon, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 23 mi, ~34m drive

Westland, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 8 mi, ~12m 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 43m

31m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Wolverine

Door-to-Door Timeline

South Lyon, MI → Ann Arbor Amtrak Station 19m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 31m

Arrival 10m

Dearborn → Westland, MI 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From Ann Arbor Amtrak Station 13 mi, ~19m drive

To Dearborn 9 mi, ~13m 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

40m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0160

Door-to-Door Timeline

South Lyon, MI → Ann Arbor (5AB) 19m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 40m

Arrival 10m

Southfield Bus Stop (SHF6) → Westland, MI 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From 5AB — Ann Arbor 13 mi, ~19m drive

To SHF6 — Southfield Bus Stop 13 mi, ~20m 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	33m	2h 48m	1h 43m	1h 44m
Total cost (1 person)	$42	$121	$5	$3
Carbon footprint	12 kg CO₂	4 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 South Lyon, MI to Westland, MI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.