Drive or Fly: Mattawa, WA to Spokane Valley, 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 YKM–GEG. At 167 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 9m

Distance

167.5 mi

Total Cost

$72

CO2

68 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$37

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

17m in the air

Air Distance

141 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

36 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mattawa, WA → YKM 49m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

GEG → Spokane Valley, WA 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Mattawa, WA YKM — Yakima Air Terminal McAllister Field 33 mi, ~49m drive

Spokane Valley, WA GEG — Spokane International Airport 14 mi, ~21m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between YKM and GEG. 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

4h 36m

2h 39m on rail

Total Cost

$20

CO2

6 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mattawa, WA → Ephrata Amtrak 65m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 159m

Arrival 10m

Spokane → Spokane Valley, WA 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From Ephrata Amtrak 44 mi, ~65m drive

To Spokane 8 mi, ~12m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 34m

3h 5m on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

9 kg

Route

FlixBus 2120

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mattawa, WA → Ellensburg (Central Washington University) (1CW) 52m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 185m

Arrival 10m

Spokane Station (SPO6) → Spokane Valley, WA 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From 1CW — Ellensburg (Central Washington University) 35 mi, ~52m drive

To SPO6 — Spokane Station 8 mi, ~12m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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 7 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	3h 9m	3h 27m	4h 36m	4h 34m
Total cost (1 person)	$72	$126	$20	$17
Carbon footprint	68 kg CO₂	36 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	9 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, 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.

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