Drive or Fly: Ketchikan, AK to Fairbanks North Star Borough, AK?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Flying wins

Medium

Flying saves significant time at this distance. Consider driving only if you enjoy the road trip.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

57h 44m

Distance

1336.5 mi

Total Cost

$1,055

CO2

540 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$295

Hotel (1 room, 5 nights) $550

Meals (1 pax, 6 days) $210

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

− Requires 6 days of driving

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

4h 52m

1h 39m in the air

Air Distance

826 mi

Total Cost

$301

CO2

211 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ketchikan, AK → KTN 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 99m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FAI → Fairbanks North Star Borough, AK 63m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $246) $246

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Ketchikan, AK KTN — Ketchikan International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

Fairbanks North Star Borough, AK FAI — Fairbanks International Airport 42 mi, ~63m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between KTN and FAI. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 52h 52m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	57h 44m	4h 52m
Total cost (1 person)	$1,055	$301
Carbon footprint	540 kg CO₂	211 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

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.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Ketchikan, AK to Fairbanks North Star Borough, AK with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.