Drive or Fly: Milwaukee, WI to Grantsburg, WI?

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

Driving wins

Medium

Short enough to drive comfortably in a day. Airport overhead makes flying slower door-to-door. Available flights require a connection, adding time and cost.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 56m

Distance

365 mi

Total Cost

$112

CO2

147 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$77

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 27m

36m in the air

Air Distance

302 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

77 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Milwaukee, WI → MKE 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 36m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSP → Grantsburg, WI 101m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Milwaukee, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

Grantsburg, WI MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 67 mi, ~101m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

100.0%

+ Saves about 2h 29m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

8h 21m

6h on rail

Total Cost

$58

CO2

17 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Milwaukee, WI → Milwaukee 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 360m

Arrival 10m

St. Paul-Minneapolis → Grantsburg, WI 91m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $58) $58

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

Stations

From Milwaukee 1 mi, ~10m drive

To St. Paul-Minneapolis 61 mi, ~91m 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

8h 15m

6h 16m on road

Total Cost

$30

CO2

16 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Milwaukee, WI → Milwaukee Intermodal Station (MKE6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 376m

Arrival 10m

Hudson (WI) (5HU) → Grantsburg, WI 84m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $30) $30

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

Stations

From MKE6 — Milwaukee Intermodal Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To 5HU — Hudson (WI) 56 mi, ~84m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~9/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 9 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	6h 56m	4h 27m	8h 21m	8h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$112	$187	$58	$30
Carbon footprint	147 kg CO₂	77 kg CO₂	17 kg CO₂	16 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.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Milwaukee, WI to Grantsburg, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.