Drive or Fly: Yakima, WA to Bethel, WA?

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 YKM–SEA. At 178 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 33m

Distance

178.4 mi

Total Cost

$74

CO2

72 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$39

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 47m

14m in the air

Air Distance

118 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

30 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Yakima, WA → YKM 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SEA → Bethel, WA 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Yakima, WA YKM — Yakima Air Terminal McAllister Field 3 mi, ~10m drive

Bethel, WA SEA — Seattle–Tacoma International Airport 15 mi, ~23m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between YKM and SEA. 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

7h 14m

4h 44m on rail

Total Cost

$19

CO2

6 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Yakima, WA → Wenatchee Amtrak 86m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 284m

Arrival 10m

Seattle → Bethel, WA 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From Wenatchee Amtrak 57 mi, ~86m drive

To Seattle 16 mi, ~24m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 36m

2h 5m on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

5 kg

Route

FlixBus 2120

Door-to-Door Timeline

Yakima, WA → Ellensburg (Central Washington University) (1CW) 42m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 125m

Arrival 10m

Seattle Bus Station (SEA6) → Bethel, WA 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From 1CW — Ellensburg (Central Washington University) 28 mi, ~42m drive

To SEA6 — Seattle Bus Station 16 mi, ~24m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− 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	3h 33m	2h 47m	7h 14m	3h 36m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$125	$19	$10
Carbon footprint	72 kg CO₂	30 kg CO₂	6 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 18, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Yakima, WA to Bethel, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.