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Drive or Fly: Sterling Heights, MI to Stony Point, MI?

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 DTW–DTW. At 58 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 20m

Distance

58.9 mi

Total Cost

$48

CO2

24 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$13
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 19m

5m in the air

Air Distance

46 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

12 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sterling Heights, MI → DTW 45m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 5m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
DTW → Stony Point, MI 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Sterling Heights, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 30 mi, ~45m drive
Stony Point, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 19 mi, ~29m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DTW and DTW. 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
Luggage fees and restrictions
Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

2h 17m

46m on rail

Total Cost

$3

CO2

1 kg

Route

Wolverine

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sterling Heights, MI → Troy Amtrak Station 13m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 46m
Arrival 10m
Dearborn → Stony Point, MI 38m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From Troy Amtrak Station 9 mi, ~13m drive
To Dearborn 25 mi, ~38m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~18/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
Amtrak delays can be unpredictable
Need transportation to/from station
Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

Drive Fly Train
Door-to-door time 1h 20m 3h 19m 2h 17m
Total cost (1 person) $48 $122 $3
Carbon footprint 24 kg CO2 12 kg CO2 1 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Sterling Heights, MI to Stony Point, MI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.