Drive or Fly: Williston, VT to Brandon, VT?

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 BTV–RUT. At 53 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 23m

Distance

53.5 mi

Total Cost

$47

CO2

22 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$12

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 45m

5m in the air

Air Distance

44 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Williston, VT → BTV 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RUT → Brandon, VT 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Williston, VT BTV — Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

Brandon, VT RUT — Rutland - Southern Vermont Regional Airport 20 mi, ~30m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BTV and RUT. 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

3h 19m

1h 43m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0260

Door-to-Door Timeline

Williston, VT → Burlington Downtown Transit Ctr (BT6) 12m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 103m

Arrival 10m

White River Junction Bus Station (WRJ6) → Brandon, VT 59m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From BT6 — Burlington Downtown Transit Ctr 8 mi, ~12m drive

To WRJ6 — White River Junction Bus Station 39 mi, ~59m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~21/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	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 23m	2h 45m	3h 19m
Total cost (1 person)	$47	$122	$8
Carbon footprint	22 kg CO₂	11 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: 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

53.5 mi 1h 23m

via VT 116, US 7, VT 2A

Alternative (+7 min)

57.1 mi 1h 30m

via US 7, I 89

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Williston, VT to Brandon, VT with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.