Drive or Fly: Spokane Valley, WA to Granite Falls, WA?

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 GEG–EAT. At 172 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 14m

Distance

172 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

69 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$38

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 29m

17m in the air

Air Distance

139 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Spokane Valley, WA → GEG 21m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

EAT → Granite Falls, WA 51m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Spokane Valley, WA GEG — Spokane International Airport 14 mi, ~21m drive

Granite Falls, WA EAT — Pangborn Memorial Airport 34 mi, ~51m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between GEG and EAT. 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

5h 33m

3h 59m on rail

Total Cost

$30

CO2

9 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Spokane Valley, WA → Spokane 12m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 239m

Arrival 10m

Leavenworth Amtrak → Granite Falls, WA 42m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $30) $30

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

Stations

From Spokane 8 mi, ~12m drive

To Leavenworth Amtrak 28 mi, ~42m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 12m

3h on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

9 kg

Route

FlixBus 2120

Door-to-Door Timeline

Spokane Valley, WA → Spokane Station (SPO6) 12m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 180m

Arrival 10m

Ellensburg (Central Washington University) (1CW) → Granite Falls, WA 95m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From SPO6 — Spokane Station 8 mi, ~12m drive

To 1CW — Ellensburg (Central Washington University) 63 mi, ~95m 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	4h 14m	3h 29m	5h 33m	5h 12m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$126	$30	$17
Carbon footprint	69 kg CO₂	35 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	9 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 17, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Spokane Valley, WA to Granite Falls, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.