Drive or Fly: Yakima, WA to Mead, 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–GEG. At 213 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 2m

Distance

213.6 mi

Total Cost

$82

CO2

86 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$47

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

20m in the air

Air Distance

168 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

43 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Yakima, WA → YKM 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

GEG → Mead, WA 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Mead, WA GEG — Spokane International Airport 13 mi, ~20m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between YKM and GEG. 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

5h 58m

3h 40m on rail

Total Cost

$27

CO2

8 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Yakima, WA → Wenatchee Amtrak 86m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 220m

Arrival 10m

Spokane → Mead, WA 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $27) $27

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

Stations

From Wenatchee Amtrak 57 mi, ~86m drive

To Spokane 8 mi, ~12m 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

4h 24m

3h 5m on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

9 kg

Route

FlixBus 2120

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 185m

Arrival 10m

Spokane Station (SPO6) → Mead, WA 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

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

To SPO6 — Spokane Station 8 mi, ~12m 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	4h 2m	2h 50m	5h 58m	4h 24m
Total cost (1 person)	$82	$182	$27	$17
Carbon footprint	86 kg CO₂	43 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	9 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 Yakima, WA to Mead, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.