Drive or Fly: Saint Paul, MN to Breezy Point, MN?

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 MSP–BRD. At 156 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 12m

Distance

156.7 mi

Total Cost

$70

CO2

63 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$35

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

2h 47m

15m in the air

Air Distance

126 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

32 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Paul, MN → MSP 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BRD → Breezy Point, MN 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Saint Paul, MN MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 8 mi, ~12m drive

Breezy Point, MN BRD — Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport 14 mi, ~20m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSP and BRD. 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 35m

2h 57m on rail

Total Cost

$26

CO2

7 kg

Route

Empire Builder

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Paul, MN → St. Paul-Minneapolis 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 177m

Arrival 10m

Staples Amtrak Station → Breezy Point, MN 48m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From St. Paul-Minneapolis 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Staples Amtrak Station 32 mi, ~48m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 22m

2h on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Paul, MN → Saint Paul Union Depot (STP6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 120m

Arrival 10m

Saint Cloud (Metro Bus) (SCM6) → Breezy Point, MN 107m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From STP6 — Saint Paul Union Depot 0 mi, ~10m drive

To SCM6 — Saint Cloud (Metro Bus) 71 mi, ~107m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 12m	2h 47m	4h 35m	4h 22m
Total cost (1 person)	$70	$125	$26	$7
Carbon footprint	63 kg CO₂	32 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	4 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 Apr 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

156.7 mi 3h 12m

via US 10, MN 371, I 94

Shortest (+0 min)

155.9 mi 3h 12m

via US 10, MN 371, I 35E

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Saint Paul, MN to Breezy Point, MN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.