Drive or Fly: Utica, 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 DTW–DTW. At 9 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

18m

Distance

9.4 mi

Total Cost

$37

CO2

4 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$2

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

1m in the air

Air Distance

6 mi

Total Cost

$120

CO2

2 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Utica, MI → DTW 49m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 1m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DTW → Clinton Township, MI 51m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $120) $120

Airports

Utica, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 33 mi, ~49m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DTW 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

1h 21m

6m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

0 kg

Route

Wolverine

Door-to-Door Timeline

Utica, MI → Troy Amtrak Station 15m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 6m

Arrival 10m

Royal Oak Amtrak → Clinton Township, MI 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

From Troy Amtrak Station 10 mi, ~15m drive

To Royal Oak Amtrak 13 mi, ~20m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~18/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

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	18m	3h 41m	1h 21m
Total cost (1 person)	$37	$120	$1
Carbon footprint	4 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	0 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 Utica, MI to Clinton Township, MI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.