Drive or Fly: West Lake Stevens, WA to Kent, WA?

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 PAE–SEA. At 46 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 6m

Distance

46.2 mi

Total Cost

$45

CO2

19 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$10

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 30m

5m in the air

Air Distance

43 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Lake Stevens, WA → PAE 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SEA → Kent, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

West Lake Stevens, WA PAE — Seattle Paine Field International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

Kent, WA SEA — Seattle–Tacoma International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PAE and SEA. 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

2h 46m

1h 46m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Amtrak Cascades

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Lake Stevens, WA → Everett Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 106m

Arrival 10m

Tukwila Amtrak → Kent, WA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From Everett Amtrak Station 5 mi, ~10m drive

To Tukwila Amtrak 6 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	1h 6m	2h 30m	2h 46m
Total cost (1 person)	$45	$122	$7
Carbon footprint	19 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	2 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 — 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 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

46.2 mi 1h 6m

via I 405, WA 9, WA 167

Alternative (+6 min)

53.4 mi 1h 12m

via I 5, WA 167

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from West Lake Stevens, WA to Kent, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.