Drive or Fly: Watertown, SD to Fort Thompson, SD?

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 ATY–PIR. At 173 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 45m

Distance

173.3 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

70 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$38

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 36m

15m in the air

Air Distance

128 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

33 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Watertown, SD → ATY 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PIR → Fort Thompson, SD 71m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Watertown, SD ATY — Watertown Regional Airport 2 mi, ~10m drive

Fort Thompson, SD PIR — Pierre Regional Airport 47 mi, ~71m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ATY and PIR. 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	3h 45m	3h 36m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$125
Carbon footprint	70 kg CO₂	33 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

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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

173.3 mi 3h 45m

via SD 34, SD 25, US 14

Alternative (+7 min)

178.5 mi 3h 52m

via SD 25, SD 34, SD 25; SD 34

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Watertown, SD to Fort Thompson, SD with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.