Drive or Fly: Sterling Heights, MI to East Tawas, MI?

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 DTW–APN. At 166 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 17m

Distance

166.5 mi

Total Cost

$72

CO2

67 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$37

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 22m

14m in the air

Air Distance

120 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

31 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sterling Heights, MI → DTW 45m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

APN → East Tawas, MI 83m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Sterling Heights, MI DTW — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport 30 mi, ~45m drive

East Tawas, MI APN — Alpena County Regional Airport 55 mi, ~83m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DTW and APN. 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	3h 17m	4h 22m
Total cost (1 person)	$72	$125
Carbon footprint	67 kg CO₂	31 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.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Sterling Heights, MI to East Tawas, MI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.