Drive or Fly: Wauwatosa, WI to Dunkirk, 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–MSN. At 79 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 39m

Distance

79 mi

Total Cost

$53

CO2

32 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$18

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 50m

7m in the air

Air Distance

62 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wauwatosa, WI → MKE 14m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSN → Dunkirk, WI 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

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

Dunkirk, WI MSN — Dane County Regional Truax Field 19 mi, ~29m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MKE and MSN. 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

2h 50m

1h 10m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

3 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wauwatosa, WI → Milwaukee 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 70m

Arrival 10m

Columbus Amtrak Station → Dunkirk, WI 50m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From Milwaukee 5 mi, ~10m drive

To Columbus Amtrak Station 33 mi, ~50m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 19m

1h 25m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 85m

Arrival 10m

Madison (Dutch Mill Park & Ride) (5MU) → Dunkirk, WI 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

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

To 5MU — Madison (Dutch Mill Park & Ride) 12 mi, ~19m 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	1h 39m	2h 50m	2h 50m	2h 19m
Total cost (1 person)	$53	$122	$12	$8
Carbon footprint	32 kg CO₂	16 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	4 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 Dunkirk, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.