Drive or Fly: Spokane Valley, WA to McMillin, 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–TIW. At 302 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 40m

Distance

302.4 mi

Total Cost

$102

CO2

122 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$67

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 16m

28m in the air

Air Distance

237 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

60 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Spokane Valley, WA → GEG 21m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 28m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

TIW → McMillin, WA 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

McMillin, WA TIW — Tacoma Narrows Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 24m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

7h 19m

6h 25m on road

Total Cost

$26

CO2

14 kg

Route

FlixBus 2120

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 385m

Arrival 10m

Tacoma (G St & Puyallup Ave) (1TA) → McMillin, WA 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

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

To 1TA — Tacoma (G St & Puyallup Ave) 11 mi, ~17m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	5h 40m	3h 16m	7h 19m
Total cost (1 person)	$102	$184	$26
Carbon footprint	122 kg CO₂	60 kg CO₂	14 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 17, 2026.

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