Drive or Fly: Kirkland, WA to Bethel, 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 BFI–SEA. At 32 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 24m

Distance

32.3 mi

Total Cost

$42

CO2

13 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$7

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 43m

3m in the air

Air Distance

24 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

6 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Kirkland, WA → BFI 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SEA → Bethel, WA 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Kirkland, WA BFI — King County International Airport - Boeing Field 12 mi, ~17m drive

Bethel, WA SEA — Seattle–Tacoma International Airport 15 mi, ~23m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BFI and SEA. 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

1h 14m

15m on road

Total Cost

CO2

0 kg

Route

FlixBus 2114

Door-to-Door Timeline

Kirkland, WA → Seattle (University of Washington) (1UW) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 15m

Arrival 10m

Seattle Bus Station (SEA6) → Bethel, WA 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $0) $0

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

Stations

From 1UW — Seattle (University of Washington) 5 mi, ~10m drive

To SEA6 — Seattle Bus Station 16 mi, ~24m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 24m	2h 43m	1h 14m
Total cost (1 person)	$42	$121	$0
Carbon footprint	13 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	0 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

32.3 mi 1h 23m

via WA 160, WA 520, I 5

Alternative (+1 min)

64.2 mi 1h 25m

via I 5, WA 16, I 405

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