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Drive or Fly: Franklin, WI to Paddock Lake, 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 MKE–MKE. At 25 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

44m

Distance

25.5 mi

Total Cost

$41

CO2

10 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$6
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 56m

3m in the air

Air Distance

22 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

6 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Franklin, WI → MKE 12m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 3m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
MKE → Paddock Lake, WI 41m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Franklin, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive
Paddock Lake, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 28 mi, ~41m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MKE and MKE. 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

1h 24m

13m on rail

Total Cost

$3

CO2

1 kg

Route

Hiawatha Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Franklin, WI → General Mitchell Intl. Airport Amtrak Station 10m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 13m
Arrival 10m
Sturtevant Amtrak Station → Paddock Lake, WI 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From General Mitchell Intl. Airport Amtrak Station 7 mi, ~10m drive
To Sturtevant Amtrak Station 14 mi, ~21m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/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 6 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 44m 2h 56m 1h 24m
Total cost (1 person) $41 $121 $3
Carbon footprint 10 kg CO2 6 kg CO2 1 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 Apr 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest
25.5 mi 44m

via CTH BD, US 45

Alternative (+4 min)
35.6 mi 48m

via I 41; I 94; US 41, WI 50, WI 100

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Franklin, WI to Paddock Lake, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.