Drive or Fly: Oak Creek, WI to Westport, 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–DBQ. At 161 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 32m

Distance

161 mi

Total Cost

$69

CO2

65 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$34

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 50m

17m in the air

Air Distance

142 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

36 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oak Creek, WI → MKE 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DBQ → Westport, WI 83m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

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

Westport, WI DBQ — Dubuque Regional Airport 56 mi, ~83m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MKE and DBQ. 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 32m

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 → Westport, WI 78m

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 52 mi, ~78m 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

5h 5m

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) → Westport, WI 74m

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) 49 mi, ~74m 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 32m	3h 50m	4h 32m	5h 5m
Total cost (1 person)	$69	$126	$21	$12
Carbon footprint	65 kg CO₂	36 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

161 mi 3h 31m

via I 94, US 14, WI 60

Alternative (+32 min)

172 mi 4h 4m

via US 14, I 43, WI 60

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