Drive or Fly: Sudden Valley, WA to Renton, 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 BLI–BFI. At 95 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 7m

Distance

95.6 mi

Total Cost

$56

CO2

39 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$21

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 35m

10m in the air

Air Distance

86 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

22 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sudden Valley, WA → BLI 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BFI → Renton, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Sudden Valley, WA BLI — Bellingham International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

Renton, WA BFI — King County International Airport - Boeing Field 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BLI and BFI. 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

4h 10m

3h 9m on rail

Total Cost

$18

CO2

5 kg

Route

Amtrak Cascades

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sudden Valley, WA → Bellingham Amtrak Station 11m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 189m

Arrival 10m

Tukwila Amtrak → Renton, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From Bellingham Amtrak Station 8 mi, ~11m drive

To Tukwila Amtrak 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 20m

2h 35m on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

5 kg

Route

FlixBus 2115

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sudden Valley, WA → Bellingham (WWU - Lincoln Creek Park & Ride) (1BH) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 155m

Arrival 10m

Seattle Tacoma Intl Airport (SAP6) → Renton, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From 1BH — Bellingham (WWU - Lincoln Creek Park & Ride) 5 mi, ~10m drive

To SAP6 — Seattle Tacoma Intl Airport 5 mi, ~10m 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	2h 7m	2h 35m	4h 10m	3h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$56	$123	$18	$10
Carbon footprint	39 kg CO₂	22 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	5 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.

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