Drive or Fly: Sunnyside, WA to Toppenish, 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 YKM–YKM. At 18 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

28m

Distance

18.4 mi

Total Cost

$39

CO2

7 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$4

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 14m

2m in the air

Air Distance

15 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sunnyside, WA → YKM 46m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

YKM → Toppenish, WA 26m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Sunnyside, WA YKM — Yakima Air Terminal McAllister Field 31 mi, ~46m drive

Toppenish, WA YKM — Yakima Air Terminal McAllister Field 17 mi, ~26m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between YKM and YKM. 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

5h 10m

1h 55m on rail

Total Cost

$20

CO2

6 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sunnyside, WA → Pasco Amtrak Station 67m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 115m

Arrival 10m

Wishram Amtrak → Toppenish, WA 88m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From Pasco Amtrak Station 44 mi, ~67m drive

To Wishram Amtrak 59 mi, ~88m 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	28m	3h 14m	5h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$39	$121	$20
Carbon footprint	7 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	6 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 13, 2026.

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