Drive or Fly: South Portland Gardens, ME to East Machias, ME?

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 PWM–BHB. At 207 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 33m

Distance

207.7 mi

Total Cost

$81

CO2

84 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$46

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 48m

20m in the air

Air Distance

164 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

42 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

South Portland Gardens, ME → PWM 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BHB → East Machias, ME 78m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

South Portland Gardens, ME PWM — Portland International Jetport 1 mi, ~10m drive

East Machias, ME BHB — Hancock County-Bar Harbor Airport 52 mi, ~78m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PWM and BHB. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 40m

2h 20m on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

6 kg

Route

FlixBus N2615

Door-to-Door Timeline

South Portland Gardens, ME → City of Portland (PVT6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 140m

Arrival 10m

Bangor Park & Ride (BGV6) → East Machias, ME 105m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From PVT6 — City of Portland 2 mi, ~10m drive

To BGV6 — Bangor Park & Ride 70 mi, ~105m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~5/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 5 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	4h 33m	3h 48m	4h 40m
Total cost (1 person)	$81	$182	$12
Carbon footprint	84 kg CO₂	42 kg CO₂	6 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from South Portland Gardens, ME to East Machias, ME with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.