Drive or Fly: Spokane, WA to Machias, 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–PAE. At 303 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 45m

Distance

303.2 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

2h 54m

26m in the air

Air Distance

215 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

55 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Spokane, WA → GEG 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 26m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PAE → Machias, WA 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Spokane, WA GEG — Spokane International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

Machias, WA PAE — Seattle Paine Field International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 51m 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

7h 45m

6h 44m on rail

Total Cost

$45

CO2

13 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Spokane, WA → Spokane 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 404m

Arrival 10m

Everett Amtrak Station → Machias, WA 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $45) $45

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

Stations

From Spokane 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Everett Amtrak Station 7 mi, ~11m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	5h 45m	2h 54m	7h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$102	$184	$45
Carbon footprint	122 kg CO₂	55 kg CO₂	13 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 — 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, WA to Machias, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.