Drive or Fly: Macomb, MI to Michigan Center, MI?

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

Driving wins

Medium

At this distance, driving is almost always faster and cheaper door-to-door.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 3m

Distance

103 mi

Total Cost

$57

CO2

42 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$22

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

4h 8m

9m in the air

Air Distance

77 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

20 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Macomb, MI → DTW 59m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LAN → Michigan Center, MI 60m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Macomb, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 39 mi, ~59m drive

Michigan Center, MI LAN — Capital Region International Airport 40 mi, ~60m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

100.0%

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 7m

1h 53m on rail

Total Cost

$13

CO2

4 kg

Route

Wolverine

Door-to-Door Timeline

Macomb, MI → Troy Amtrak Station 24m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 113m

Arrival 10m

Jackson → Michigan Center, MI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From Troy Amtrak Station 16 mi, ~24m drive

To Jackson 4 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~12/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 12 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 42m

1h 35m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0160

Door-to-Door Timeline

Macomb, MI → Southfield Bus Stop (SHF6) 32m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 95m

Arrival 10m

Jackson Bus Stop (JAC6) → Michigan Center, MI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From SHF6 — Southfield Bus Stop 21 mi, ~32m drive

To JAC6 — Jackson Bus Stop 4 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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

− Limited schedule — about 8 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 3m	4h 8m	3h 7m	2h 42m
Total cost (1 person)	$57	$123	$13	$7
Carbon footprint	42 kg CO₂	20 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	100% on-time

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Transit: Amtrak GTFS, 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 Jun 3, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

103 mi 2h 2m

via I 94, M 14, I 696

Shortest (+2 min)

102.9 mi 2h 5m

via I 94, M 14, I 96

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Macomb, MI to Michigan Center, MI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.