Drive or Fly: North Bonneville, WA to Spokane, WA?

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

5h 58m

Distance

315.3 mi

Total Cost

$95

CO2

127 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$60

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

31m in the air

Air Distance

257 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

65 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

North Bonneville, WA → PDX 46m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 31m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

GEG → Spokane, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

North Bonneville, WA PDX — Portland International Airport 31 mi, ~46m drive

Spokane, WA GEG — Spokane International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

98.5%

Cancellation

1.5%

+ Saves about 2h 31m 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

7h 33m

5h 53m on rail

Total Cost

$47

CO2

18 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

North Bonneville, WA → Bingen-White Salmon Amtrak (BNG) 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 353m

Arrival 10m

Spokane (SPK) → Spokane, WA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $47) $47

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

Stations

From BNG — Bingen-White Salmon Amtrak 0 mi, ~30m drive

To SPK — Spokane 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~5/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ Scenic views along the route

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 5 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

7h 55m

6h 30m on road

Total Cost

$26

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

North Bonneville, WA → Hood River (Mount Hood Railroad) (HOD6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 390m

Arrival 10m

Spokane Station (SPO6) → Spokane, WA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From HOD6 — Hood River (Mount Hood Railroad) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To SPO6 — Spokane Station 0 mi, ~30m 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	5h 58m	3h 27m	7h 33m	7h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$95	$185	$47	$26
Carbon footprint	127 kg CO₂	65 kg CO₂	18 kg CO₂	18 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	98% 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 Jul 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

315.3 mi 5h 58m

via US 395, I 84; US 30, I 82

Shortest (+0 min)

310.6 mi 5h 59m

via US 395, WA 14, I 84; US 30

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