Drive or Fly: Charleston, ME to City of Portland, ME?

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 BGR–PWM. At 133 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 8m

Distance

133.3 mi

Total Cost

$64

CO2

54 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$29

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 58m

14m in the air

Air Distance

114 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

29 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Charleston, ME → BGR 33m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PWM → City of Portland, ME 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Charleston, ME BGR — Bangor International Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive

City of Portland, ME PWM — Portland International Jetport 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BGR and PWM. 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 45m

2h 20m on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

8 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Charleston, ME → Bangor Park & Ride (BGV6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 140m

Arrival 10m

City of Portland (PVT6) → City of Portland, ME 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From BGV6 — Bangor Park & Ride 0 mi, ~30m drive

To PVT6 — City of Portland 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~5/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 5 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	3h 8m	2h 58m	3h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$64	$125	$12
Carbon footprint	54 kg CO₂	29 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: 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 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

133.3 mi 3h 7m

via I 95, I 295, ME 11; ME 43

Alternative (+12 min)

143.1 mi 3h 19m

via I 95, ME 11; ME 43, ME 7; ME 11

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Charleston, ME to City of Portland, ME with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.