Drive or Fly: Whitefish Bay, WI to La Crosse, 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–LSE. At 215 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 8m

Distance

215.7 mi

Total Cost

$83

CO2

87 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$48

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 48m

21m in the air

Air Distance

174 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

44 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Whitefish Bay, WI → MKE 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LSE → La Crosse, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Whitefish Bay, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 12 mi, ~17m drive

La Crosse, WI LSE — La Crosse Regional Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MKE and LSE. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 19m

3h 19m on rail

Total Cost

$35

CO2

10 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Whitefish Bay, WI → Milwaukee 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 199m

Arrival 10m

La Crosse → La Crosse, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $35) $35

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

Stations

From Milwaukee 6 mi, ~10m drive

To La Crosse 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 29m

2h 55m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

8 kg

Route

Greyhound US0150

Door-to-Door Timeline

Whitefish Bay, WI → Milwaukee Intermodal Station (MKE6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 175m

Arrival 10m

Tomah (McDonald's) (TOM6) → La Crosse, WI 59m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From MKE6 — Milwaukee Intermodal Station 6 mi, ~10m drive

To TOM6 — Tomah (McDonald's) 40 mi, ~59m 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	4h 8m	2h 48m	4h 19m	4h 29m
Total cost (1 person)	$83	$182	$35	$16
Carbon footprint	87 kg CO₂	44 kg CO₂	10 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: 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Whitefish Bay, WI to La Crosse, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.