Drive or Fly: Ithaca, MI to Ann Arbor, MI?

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 MBS–DTW. At 104 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 57m

Distance

104.7 mi

Total Cost

$58

CO2

42 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$23

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 27m

10m in the air

Air Distance

83 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

21 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ithaca, MI → MBS 47m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DTW → Ann Arbor, MI 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Ithaca, MI MBS — MBS International Airport 31 mi, ~47m drive

Ann Arbor, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 20 mi, ~30m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MBS and DTW. 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

3h 15m

1h 25m on rail

Total Cost

$10

CO2

3 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ithaca, MI → East Lansing Amtrak Station 60m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 85m

Arrival 10m

Ann Arbor Amtrak Station → Ann Arbor, MI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From East Lansing Amtrak Station 40 mi, ~60m drive

To Ann Arbor Amtrak Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 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	1h 57m	3h 27m	3h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$58	$123	$10
Carbon footprint	42 kg CO₂	21 kg CO₂	3 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 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

104.7 mi 1h 57m

via US 127 BUS, I 96, US 23

Alternative (+8 min)

111.5 mi 2h 5m

via US 127 BUS, US 127

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Ithaca, MI to Ann Arbor, MI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.