Drive or Fly: Wauwatosa, WI to Burlington, 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 MKE–MKE. At 32 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

53m

Distance

32.6 mi

Total Cost

$42

CO2

13 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$7

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 57m

3m in the air

Air Distance

29 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

7 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wauwatosa, WI → MKE 14m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MKE → Burlington, WI 40m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Wauwatosa, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive

Burlington, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 27 mi, ~40m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MKE 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

1h 41m

23m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Hiawatha Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wauwatosa, WI → Milwaukee 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 23m

Arrival 10m

Sturtevant Amtrak Station → Burlington, WI 28m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From Milwaukee 5 mi, ~10m drive

To Sturtevant Amtrak Station 19 mi, ~28m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/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 6 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 33m

20m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wauwatosa, WI → Milwaukee Intermodal Station (MKE6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 20m

Arrival 10m

Goerke's Corners Park & Ride (5WG) → Burlington, WI 38m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

From MKE6 — Milwaukee Intermodal Station 5 mi, ~10m drive

To 5WG — Goerke's Corners Park & Ride 25 mi, ~38m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− 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	53m	2h 57m	1h 41m	1h 33m
Total cost (1 person)	$42	$121	$4	$1
Carbon footprint	13 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	1 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Wauwatosa, WI to Burlington, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.