Drive or Fly: Sumas, WA to Bellevue, 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 111 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 26m

Distance

111.9 mi

Total Cost

$60

CO2

45 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$25

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 52m

12m in the air

Air Distance

96 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

24 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sumas, WA → BLI 29m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BFI → Bellevue, WA 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Sumas, WA BLI — Bellingham International Airport 19 mi, ~29m drive

Bellevue, WA BFI — King County International Airport - Boeing Field 7 mi, ~11m 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

3h 54m

2h 30m on rail

Total Cost

$16

CO2

5 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sumas, WA → Bellingham Amtrak Station 34m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 150m

Arrival 10m

Seattle → Bellevue, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From Bellingham Amtrak Station 22 mi, ~34m drive

To Seattle 6 mi, ~10m 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	2h 26m	2h 52m	3h 54m
Total cost (1 person)	$60	$124	$16
Carbon footprint	45 kg CO₂	24 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 — 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 Sumas, WA to Bellevue, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.