Drive or Fly: West Longview, WA to Federal Way, 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 PDX–SEA. At 110 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 18m

Distance

110.4 mi

Total Cost

$59

CO2

45 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$24

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 30m

10m in the air

Air Distance

86 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

22 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Longview, WA → PDX 67m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SEA → Federal Way, WA 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

West Longview, WA PDX — Portland International Airport 44 mi, ~67m drive

Federal Way, WA SEA — Seattle–Tacoma International Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PDX 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 43m

1h 41m on rail

Total Cost

$16

CO2

5 kg

Route

Amtrak Cascades

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Longview, WA → Kelso-Longview 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 101m

Arrival 10m

Tacoma → Federal Way, WA 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From Kelso-Longview 4 mi, ~10m drive

To Tacoma 8 mi, ~12m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~6/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 6 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 27m

2h 40m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

FlixBus 2110

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Longview, WA → Portland Curbside Bus Stop (PUT6) 70m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 160m

Arrival 10m

Tacoma (G St & Puyallup Ave) (1TA) → Federal Way, WA 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From PUT6 — Portland Curbside Bus Stop 47 mi, ~70m drive

To 1TA — Tacoma (G St & Puyallup Ave) 8 mi, ~12m 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	2h 18m	3h 30m	2h 43m	4h 27m
Total cost (1 person)	$59	$123	$16	$13
Carbon footprint	45 kg CO₂	22 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	7 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 19, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from West Longview, WA to Federal Way, WA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.