Drive or Fly: Spokane Valley, WA to Leavenworth, 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 201 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

Distance

201.8 mi

Total Cost

$80

CO2

82 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$45

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 18m

19m in the air

Air Distance

159 mi

Total Cost

$181

CO2

41 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Spokane Valley, WA → GEG 21m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

EAT → Leavenworth, WA 38m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Leavenworth, WA EAT — Pangborn Memorial Airport 25 mi, ~38m 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 1m

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 → Leavenworth, WA 10m

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 1 mi, ~10m 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

4h 39m

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) → Leavenworth, WA 62m

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) 41 mi, ~62m 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	3h 18m	5h 1m	4h 39m
Total cost (1 person)	$80	$181	$30	$17
Carbon footprint	82 kg CO₂	41 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 13, 2026.

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