Drive or Fly: Bradley, WI to Eau Claire, 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 RHI–EAU. At 146 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 54m

Distance

146.8 mi

Total Cost

$67

CO2

59 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$32

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

12m in the air

Air Distance

99 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

25 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bradley, WI → RHI 23m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

EAU → Eau Claire, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Bradley, WI RHI — Rhinelander Oneida County Airport 15 mi, ~23m drive

Eau Claire, WI EAU — Chippewa Valley Regional Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RHI and EAU. 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 50m

2h 25m on road

Total Cost

$11

CO2

9 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bradley, WI → Wausau Transit Center (WAU6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 145m

Arrival 10m

Eau Claire (McDonald's) (5EU) → Eau Claire, WI 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From WAU6 — Wausau Transit Center 0 mi, ~30m drive

To 5EU — Eau Claire (McDonald's) 0 mi, ~30m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 54m	2h 45m	3h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$67	$124	$11
Carbon footprint	59 kg CO₂	25 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: 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 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

146.8 mi 2h 54m

via WI 29, US 51, US 53

Shortest (+15 min)

129.3 mi 3h 9m

via US 8, WI 27, WI 178

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Bradley, WI to Eau Claire, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.