Drive or Fly: West Allis, WI to Appleton, 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–ATW. At 102 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 58m

Distance

102.1 mi

Total Cost

$58

CO2

41 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$23

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 32m

11m in the air

Air Distance

88 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

23 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Allis, WI → MKE 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ATW → Appleton, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

West Allis, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

Appleton, WI ATW — Appleton International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MKE and ATW. 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

3h 45m

1h 10m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

3 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Allis, WI → Milwaukee 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 70m

Arrival 10m

Columbus Amtrak Station → Appleton, WI 105m

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 70 mi, ~105m 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 55m

2h 10m on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

5 kg

Route

FlixBus 2550

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Allis, WI → Milwaukee Intermodal Station (MKE6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 130m

Arrival 10m

Appleton Transit Center (XWI6) → Appleton, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

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

To XWI6 — Appleton Transit Center 0 mi, ~10m 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 58m	2h 32m	3h 45m	2h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$58	$124	$12	$10
Carbon footprint	41 kg CO₂	23 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	5 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 West Allis, WI to Appleton, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.