Drive or Fly: Tacoma, WA to Waterville, 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 TIW–EAT. At 182 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 51m

Distance

182.1 mi

Total Cost

$75

CO2

74 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$40

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 51m

14m in the air

Air Distance

114 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

29 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tacoma, WA → TIW 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

EAT → Waterville, WA 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Tacoma, WA TIW — Tacoma Narrows Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

Waterville, WA EAT — Pangborn Memorial Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between TIW and EAT. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 9m

3h 20m on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

5 kg

Route

FlixBus 2120

Door-to-Door Timeline

Tacoma, WA → Tacoma (G St & Puyallup Ave) (1TA) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 200m

Arrival 10m

Ellensburg (Central Washington University) (1CW) → Waterville, WA 74m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From 1TA — Tacoma (G St & Puyallup Ave) 1 mi, ~10m drive

To 1CW — Ellensburg (Central Washington University) 50 mi, ~74m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 51m	2h 51m	5h 9m
Total cost (1 person)	$75	$125	$10
Carbon footprint	74 kg CO₂	29 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: 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 13, 2026.

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