Drive or Fly: Union City, MI to Clinton Township, MI?

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 AZO–DTW. At 137 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 52m

Distance

137.6 mi

Total Cost

$65

CO2

56 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$30

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 41m

14m in the air

Air Distance

119 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

30 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Union City, MI → AZO 36m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DTW → Clinton Township, MI 51m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Union City, MI AZO — Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport 24 mi, ~36m drive

Clinton Township, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 34 mi, ~51m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between AZO and DTW. 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 25m

2h 59m on rail

Total Cost

$21

CO2

6 kg

Route

Wolverine

Door-to-Door Timeline

Union City, MI → Battle Creek 26m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 179m

Arrival 10m

Royal Oak Amtrak → Clinton Township, MI 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From Battle Creek 18 mi, ~26m drive

To Royal Oak Amtrak 13 mi, ~20m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~13/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 13 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 14m

2h 55m on road

Total Cost

$11

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US0160

Door-to-Door Timeline

Union City, MI → Battle Creek Bus Stop (BCM6) 26m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 175m

Arrival 10m

Southfield Bus Stop (SHF6) → Clinton Township, MI 28m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From BCM6 — Battle Creek Bus Stop 18 mi, ~26m drive

To SHF6 — Southfield Bus Stop 19 mi, ~28m 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 52m	3h 41m	4h 25m	4h 14m
Total cost (1 person)	$65	$125	$21	$11
Carbon footprint	56 kg CO₂	30 kg CO₂	6 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, 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Union City, MI to Clinton Township, MI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.