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

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 MKE–RHI. At 274 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 30m

Distance

274.1 mi

Total Cost

$93

CO2

111 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$58

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 45m

27m in the air

Air Distance

221 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

56 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Milwaukee, WI → MKE 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 27m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RHI → Phillips, WI 68m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Phillips, WI RHI — Rhinelander Oneida County Airport 45 mi, ~68m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MKE and RHI. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

7h 25m

5h 30m on road

Total Cost

$19

CO2

10 kg

Route

Greyhound US0150S

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 330m

Arrival 10m

Abbotsford WI (AWI6) → Phillips, WI 80m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

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

To AWI6 — Abbotsford WI 53 mi, ~80m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	5h 30m	3h 45m	7h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$93	$184	$19
Carbon footprint	111 kg CO₂	56 kg CO₂	10 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 Jun 3, 2026.

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