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Drive or Fly: Saint Paul, MN to Lake Crystal, 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–MSP. At 95 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 7m

Distance

95.7 mi

Total Cost

$56

CO2

39 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$21
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

4h 11m

10m in the air

Air Distance

80 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

20 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Paul, MN → MSP 12m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 10m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
MSP → Lake Crystal, MN 109m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Saint Paul, MN MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 8 mi, ~12m drive
Lake Crystal, MN MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 73 mi, ~109m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSP and MSP. 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

At a Glance

Drive Fly
Door-to-door time 2h 7m 4h 11m
Total cost (1 person) $56 $123
Carbon footprint 39 kg CO2 20 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
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 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest
95.7 mi 2h 6m

via US 169, US 169; MN 99, I 35E

Alternative (+0 min)
97.5 mi 2h 6m

via US 169, US 169; MN 99, MN 5

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