Drive or Fly: Vancouver, WA to Dayton, 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–ALW. At 271 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 24m

Distance

271.7 mi

Total Cost

$95

CO2

110 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$60

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 11m

28m in the air

Air Distance

230 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

59 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Vancouver, WA → PDX 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 28m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ALW → Dayton, WA 33m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Dayton, WA ALW — Walla Walla Regional Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 13m 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 7m

3h 57m on rail

Total Cost

$36

CO2

10 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Vancouver, WA → Vancouver 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 237m

Arrival 10m

Pasco Amtrak Station → Dayton, WA 80m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $36) $36

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

Stations

From Vancouver 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Pasco Amtrak Station 54 mi, ~80m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 46m

3h 50m on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

10 kg

Route

FlixBus 2184

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 230m

Arrival 10m

Pasco Bus Stop (PAS6) → Dayton, WA 80m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

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

To PAS6 — Pasco Bus Stop 54 mi, ~80m 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	5h 24m	3h 11m	6h 7m	5h 46m
Total cost (1 person)	$95	$184	$36	$20
Carbon footprint	110 kg CO₂	59 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	10 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 Vancouver, WA to Dayton, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.