Drive or Fly: Darrington, WA to Spokane Valley, 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 PAE–GEG. At 356 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 52m

Distance

356.8 mi

Total Cost

$102

CO2

144 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$67

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

3h 45m

25m in the air

Air Distance

206 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

52 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Darrington, WA → PAE 59m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 25m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

GEG → Spokane Valley, WA 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Darrington, WA PAE — Seattle Paine Field International Airport 40 mi, ~59m drive

Spokane Valley, WA GEG — Spokane International Airport 14 mi, ~21m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PAE and GEG. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 7m compared to driving

+ 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

8h 24m

6h 42m on rail

Total Cost

$45

CO2

13 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Darrington, WA → Everett Amtrak Station (EVR) 50m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 402m

Arrival 10m

Spokane (SPK) → Spokane Valley, WA 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $45) $45

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

Stations

From EVR — Everett Amtrak Station 34 mi, ~50m drive

To SPK — Spokane 8 mi, ~12m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~5/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 5 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	6h 52m	3h 45m	8h 24m
Total cost (1 person)	$102	$183	$45
Carbon footprint	144 kg CO₂	52 kg CO₂	13 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 — 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 Jul 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

356.8 mi 6h 51m

via I 90, WA 530, I 5

Shortest (+40 min)

349.6 mi 7h 32m

via I 90, US 2, WA 28

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