Drive or Fly: Spokane Valley, WA to La Center, 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–PDX. At 379 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 8m

Distance

379.3 mi

Total Cost

$119

CO2

153 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$84

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 24m

34m in the air

Air Distance

286 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

73 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Spokane Valley, WA → GEG 21m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 34m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PDX → La Center, WA 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

La Center, WA PDX — Portland International Airport 19 mi, ~29m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between GEG and PDX. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 44m compared to driving

+ 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

8h 2m

6h 46m on rail

Total Cost

$57

CO2

17 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Spokane Valley, WA → Spokane 12m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 406m

Arrival 10m

Vancouver → La Center, WA 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $57) $57

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

Stations

From Spokane 8 mi, ~12m drive

To Vancouver 16 mi, ~24m 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

10h 21m

9h 10m on road

Total Cost

$32

CO2

17 kg

Route

FlixBus 2120

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 550m

Arrival 10m

Portland Curbside Bus Stop (PUT6) → La Center, WA 34m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $32) $32

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

Stations

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

To PUT6 — Portland Curbside Bus Stop 23 mi, ~34m 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	7h 8m	3h 24m	8h 2m	10h 21m
Total cost (1 person)	$119	$186	$57	$32
Carbon footprint	153 kg CO₂	73 kg CO₂	17 kg CO₂	17 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 15, 2026.

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