Drive or Fly: Oak Creek, WI to Richland Center, 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–MSN. At 151 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 18m

Distance

151.6 mi

Total Cost

$67

CO2

61 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$32

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 48m

16m in the air

Air Distance

131 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

33 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oak Creek, WI → MKE 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSN → Richland Center, WI 82m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Oak Creek, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

Richland Center, WI MSN — Dane County Regional Truax Field 55 mi, ~82m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MKE and MSN. 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 9m

2h 24m on rail

Total Cost

$21

CO2

6 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oak Creek, WI → General Mitchell Intl. Airport Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 144m

Arrival 10m

Wisconsin Dells Amtrak Station → Richland Center, WI 55m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From General Mitchell Intl. Airport Amtrak Station 5 mi, ~10m drive

To Wisconsin Dells Amtrak Station 37 mi, ~55m 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 41m

3h 16m on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

6 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oak Creek, WI → Milwaukee Mitchell Airport (5MK) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 196m

Arrival 10m

Wisconsin Dells (McDonald's Commerce St) (WIS6) → Richland Center, WI 50m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From 5MK — Milwaukee Mitchell Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

To WIS6 — Wisconsin Dells (McDonald's Commerce St) 34 mi, ~50m 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	3h 18m	3h 48m	4h 9m	4h 41m
Total cost (1 person)	$67	$125	$21	$12
Carbon footprint	61 kg CO₂	33 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	6 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 Jun 3, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Oak Creek, WI to Richland Center, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.