Airway Heights to Yakima is 200.5 miles and takes about 3h 42m via I 90 and I 82, with a fuel budget near $43 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This one-day trip stays within Washington State, moving from the Pacific Coast region to another part of the same region. The route primarily uses major highways, making it a straightforward drive. Plan for a quick trip with minimal fuss, ideal for a day excursion or an efficient leg of a longer journey.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
100.2 miles from Airway Heights, WA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 51m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 90
161.3 mi
2h 52m
I 82
30.2 mi
32m
South Hayford Road
3.4 mi
5m
North 1st Street
1.6 mi
3m
West Sunset Highway
1.5 mi
2m
West Geiger Boulevard
0.2 mi
<1m
Selah Road
0.1 mi
<1m
West Aero Road
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 90
— 161.3 mi, about 2h 52m
Traffic on I-90
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 20 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
2 PM
~620 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,028
Quietest
1 AM
~58 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
10.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Airway Heights, WA and Yakima, WA.
1
Start on West 12th Avenue
42 ft·6 sec·West 12th Avenue
2
Turn right onto South Lundstrom Street
0.1 mi·27 sec·South Lundstrom Street
3
Turn left onto US 2
1.0 mi·1 min·West Sunset Highway
4
Enter roundabout onto West Sunset Highway
95 ft·1 sec·West Sunset Highway
5
Continue on West Sunset Highway
0.5 mi·53 sec·West Sunset Highway
6
Turn right onto South Hayford Road
3.4 mi·5 min·South Hayford Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Turn right onto West Geiger Boulevard
0.2 mi·16 sec·West Geiger Boulevard
8
Enter roundabout onto West Aero Road
204 ft·4 sec·West Aero Road
9
Continue on West Aero Road
455 ft·9 sec·West Aero Road
10
Enter roundabout
18 ft·0 sec
Toward I 90 West: Seattle
11
Continue
0.2 mi·32 sec
Toward I 90 West: Seattle
12
Merge onto I 90; US 395
51 mi·54 min·I 90; US 395
13
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90
110 mi·1 hr 58 min·I 90
14
Take the exit
1.4 mi·2 min
Toward I 82 East, US 97 South: Yakima
15
Merge onto I 82; US 97
30 mi·32 min·I 82; US 97
16
Take the exit
314 ft·4 sec
Toward US 12 west, North 1st Street
17
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·26 sec
18
Continue on WA 823
0.1 mi·13 sec·Selah Road
19
Continue on North 1st Street
1.6 mi·3 min·North 1st Street
20
Arrive at destination
South 1st Street
Trip Plan
Given the relatively short duration of 3 hours and 42 minutes, you can easily complete this drive in a single day. Aim to depart in the morning to maximize daylight hours. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility in pacing your journey. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 161.3-mile segment on I 90, as services might be spaced out. The fuel cost is estimated at $43, so budget accordingly before you set off.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 100.2 miles from Airway Heights, WA, or about 1h 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 161.3 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 44 miles or 51m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 100.2 miles or 1h 51m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Yakima, WA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Airway Heights, WA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Airway Heights, WA
This is one driving day of about 200.5 miles and 3h 42m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 44 miles from Airway Heights, WA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 90 for about 161.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 166.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|South Lundstrom Street
Turn right onto South Lundstrom Street
Navigation decision point
6
1.6 mi into trip|~3m in|South Hayford Road
Turn right onto South Hayford Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
5.2 mi into trip|~9m in|West Aero Road
Enter roundabout onto West Aero Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
5.3 mi into trip|~9m in
Enter roundabout toward I 90 West: Seattle
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Toward I 90 West: Seattle
5
166.8 mi into trip|~3h 2m in
Take the exit toward I 82 East, US 97 South: Yakima
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 82 East, US 97 South: Yakima
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$39.06 one way
$78.12 round trip
$4.95/gal25.4 MPG avg70 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.18
$40.92
$81.84
premium
$5.39
$42.55
$85.11
diesel
$4.80
$37.86
$75.72
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$39
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$64–$89
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 70.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
60.2
0
$21.05
$9.62
Efficient EV
50.1
0
$17.54
$8.02
EV Truck/SUV
80.2
1
$28.07
$12.83
Gas CO2
70 kg
EV CO2
23 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Jul 19, 2026
Origin
Airway Heights, WA
Late night
in Airway Heights on Sunday
Local time
4:17 AM
PDT
Current temp
55°F
Mostly Clear
SW 6 to 12 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued July 18 at 11:42AM PDT until July 18 at 9:00PM PDT by NWS Spokane WA
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued July 18 at 11:42AM PDT until July 18 at 9:00PM PDT by NWS Spokane WA
Destination
Yakima, WA
Late night
in Yakima on Sunday
Local time
4:17 AM
PDT
Current temp
59°F
Clear
N 6 to 15 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued July 18 at 11:42AM PDT until July 18 at 9:00PM PDT by NWS Spokane WA
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued July 18 at 11:42AM PDT until July 18 at 9:00PM PDT by NWS Spokane WA
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
4 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
3h 42m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is predominantly on highways, with 96% of the 200.5 miles on routes like I 90 and I 82. You'll experience a long stretch of 161.3 miles on I 90, offering a consistent cruising experience. The transition to surface roads happens late in the trip, with only about 8 miles on roads like South Hayford Road. Expect mostly open highway driving with minimal interruptions.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 161.3 mi on I 90.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 90 and I 82. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Lundstrom Street.
Driving Effort5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 200.5 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Lundstrom Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.6 miles (South Hayford Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.2 miles (West Aero Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Yakima is the principal city of the Yakima Valley, an agricultural region noted for apple, wine, and hop production on the Columbia River Plateau of Washington State. It is the county seat of Yakima County.
This article also covers the nearby communities of Union Gap and Selah.
Top landmarks
•Capitol Theatre, Yakima — theater and performing arts center in Yakima, Washington, United States
•A. E. Larson Building — building in Yakima, Washington, United States
•E. William Brackett House — house in Yakima, Washington
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 42m. Total distance: 200.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 42m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 161.3 miles on I 90. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 16 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Lundstrom Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.6 miles (South Hayford Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.2 miles (West Aero Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Possible but tiring. At 3.7 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Yakima, WA, but most travelers stay overnight.
