Drive or Fly: Wausaukee, WI to Milwaukee, WI?

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 IMT–MKE. At 178 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 27m

Distance

178.1 mi

Total Cost

$75

CO2

72 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$40
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 17m

19m in the air

Air Distance

161 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

41 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wausaukee, WI → IMT 48m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 19m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
MKE → Milwaukee, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Wausaukee, WI IMT — Ford Airport 32 mi, ~48m drive
Milwaukee, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between IMT and MKE. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 55m

3h 5m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US0150S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wausaukee, WI → Shawano WI (SAW6) 75m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 185m
Arrival 10m
Milwaukee Intermodal Station (MKE6) → Milwaukee, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From SAW6 — Shawano WI 50 mi, ~75m drive
To MKE6 — Milwaukee Intermodal Station 1 mi, ~10m 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 3h 27m 3h 17m 4h 55m
Total cost (1 person) $75 $126 $13
Carbon footprint 72 kg CO2 41 kg CO2 7 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 Wausaukee, WI to Milwaukee, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.