Drive or Fly: Star Prairie, WI to Racine, WI?

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 MSP–MKE. At 342 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 32m

Distance

342.9 mi

Total Cost

$111

CO2

139 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$76

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 59m

35m in the air

Air Distance

291 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

74 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Star Prairie, WI → MSP 60m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 35m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MKE → Racine, WI 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Star Prairie, WI MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 40 mi, ~60m drive

Racine, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSP and MKE. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 33m 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 1m

6h 23m on rail

Total Cost

$60

CO2

17 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Star Prairie, WI → St. Paul-Minneapolis 48m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 383m

Arrival 10m

Sturtevant Amtrak Station → Racine, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $60) $60

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

Stations

From St. Paul-Minneapolis 32 mi, ~48m drive

To Sturtevant Amtrak Station 6 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ Scenic views along the route

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

8h 6m

6h 48m on road

Total Cost

$30

CO2

16 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Star Prairie, WI → Hudson (WI) (5HU) 28m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 408m

Arrival 10m

Milwaukee Mitchell Airport (5MK) → Racine, WI 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $30) $30

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

Stations

From 5HU — Hudson (WI) 19 mi, ~28m drive

To 5MK — Milwaukee Mitchell Airport 16 mi, ~25m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− 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	6h 32m	3h 59m	8h 1m	8h 6m
Total cost (1 person)	$111	$187	$60	$30
Carbon footprint	139 kg CO₂	74 kg CO₂	17 kg CO₂	16 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

342.9 mi 6h 31m

via I 94, I 41; I 94; US 41, CTH T

Alternative (+23 min)

347 mi 6h 55m

via I 94, I 39; I 90, WI 20

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Star Prairie, WI to Racine, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.