Drive or Fly: Waterville, WA to Vancouver, 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 EAT–PDX. At 312 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

6h 18m

Distance

312.5 mi

Total Cost

$104

CO2

126 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$69

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

2h 59m

22m in the air

Air Distance

185 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

47 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Waterville, WA → EAT 27m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PDX → Vancouver, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Waterville, WA EAT — Pangborn Memorial Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 3h 19m 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

7h 55m

6h 5m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

8 kg

Route

FlixBus 2120

Door-to-Door Timeline

Waterville, WA → Ellensburg (Central Washington University) (1CW) 74m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 365m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From 1CW — Ellensburg (Central Washington University) 50 mi, ~74m drive

To PUT6 — Portland Curbside Bus Stop 8 mi, ~11m 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 18m	2h 59m	7h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$104	$182	$16
Carbon footprint	126 kg CO₂	47 kg CO₂	8 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 13, 2026.

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