Drive or Fly: Vancouver, WA to Coulee Dam, 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 PDX–EAT. At 343 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 56m

Distance

343.2 mi

Total Cost

$111

CO2

139 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$76

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

4h 22m

28m in the air

Air Distance

237 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

60 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Vancouver, WA → PDX 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 28m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

EAT → Coulee Dam, WA 104m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Vancouver, WA PDX — Portland International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

Coulee Dam, WA EAT — Pangborn Memorial Airport 69 mi, ~104m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PDX and EAT. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 34m compared to driving

+ 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

9h 53m

7h 45m on road

Total Cost

$22

CO2

11 kg

Route

FlixBus 2120

Door-to-Door Timeline

Vancouver, WA → Portland Curbside Bus Stop (PUT6) 11m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 465m

Arrival 10m

Moses Lake (1ML) → Coulee Dam, WA 92m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $22) $22

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

Stations

From PUT6 — Portland Curbside Bus Stop 8 mi, ~11m drive

To 1ML — Moses Lake 61 mi, ~92m 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	6h 56m	4h 22m	9h 53m
Total cost (1 person)	$111	$184	$22
Carbon footprint	139 kg CO₂	60 kg CO₂	11 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 18, 2026.

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