Drive or Fly: Troutdale, OR to Grants Pass, OR?

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 PDX–MFR. At 261 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 24m

Distance

261.1 mi

Total Cost

$93

CO2

105 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$58
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 18m

26m in the air

Air Distance

219 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

56 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Troutdale, OR → PDX 16m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 26m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
MFR → Grants Pass, OR 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Troutdale, OR PDX — Portland International Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive
Grants Pass, OR MFR — Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport 24 mi, ~36m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PDX and MFR. 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
May need a rental car at destination
Luggage fees and restrictions
Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 26m

4h 30m on road

Total Cost

$24

CO2

13 kg

Route

Greyhound US0500

Door-to-Door Timeline

Troutdale, OR → Portland Curbside Bus Stop (PUT6) 21m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 270m
Arrival 10m
Grants Pass (A-1 Market) (GSP6) → Grants Pass, OR 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $24) $24

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

Stations

From PUT6 — Portland Curbside Bus Stop 14 mi, ~21m drive
To GSP6 — Grants Pass (A-1 Market) 0 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 Bus
Door-to-door time 4h 24m 3h 18m 5h 26m
Total cost (1 person) $93 $184 $24
Carbon footprint 105 kg CO2 56 kg CO2 13 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 Troutdale, OR to Grants Pass, OR with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.