The fly or drive score is an estimate of the true cost of travel.
A lower score is better. Our score includes factors
like airline prices and fuel costs, but it also takes into account the
value of your time spent traveling. If you're taking time off work
because you have to drive an extra day, it might be better to fly
even if driving is technically cheaper. Tap on a
blue or
green
value to customize it.
driving is cheaper
Number of travelers = 1 person
Enter the total number of travelers. This will be
used to calculate the sum of plane tickets for everyone, as well
as the number of cars you need if you're planning a road trip.
We assume a max of 4 passengers per car, but
you can change the number of cars if your situation is different.
Cheapest airfare = $200.00 round trip
We estimated the cheapest price for a round trip plane
ticket from MSP
to ALO at
$200.
To change the price for your flight, enter it here:
Total airfare for all travelers = $200.00
Extra costs (transportation) = $0.00
Enter the total amount you're planning to spend
on extra costs for local transportation at your destination.
This might include a rental car to drive around the area, or
the cost of a cab or airport shuttle to get to your hotel.
You could also include an extra cost for food at the airport,
and any other miscellaneous spending along the way.
Enter your total estimate below.
Number of passengers = 1 person
Number of cars = 1 car
Enter the total number of cars you'll be
taking on the road trip. This will be used to calculate
the total cost of driving for everyone. The default is
a max of 4 passengers per car, but you
can adjust the number of cars to fit your situation.
Gas for each car = $35.11 round trip
Fuel efficiency = 25 mpg
Enter the fuel efficiency of your vehicle in
miles per gallon (mpg). If you're unsure of the exact number,
you can look it up on the
fueleconomy.gov site.
Current gas price = $3.43
Enter the average fuel price for your trip
in U.S. dollars. If you're taking a long road trip, the
gas price in each state may vary. Remember to adjust for
premium or diesel fuel prices.
Total fuel costs for all cars = $35.11
flying is shorter
Flight distance = 121 miles one-way
Driving distance = 128 miles one-way
flying is faster
Getting to MSP airport = 19 minutes
We chose Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) as your departure airport.
For your home location, this is the only nearby major
airport. If you are looking for another airport,
change your locations.
Enter the amount of time it takes you to get to the
departure airport. This can vary depending on whether you take a
cab, get a ride from a friend, or drive your own car. Make sure
you include extra time for parking if you are driving yourself.
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
Check-in/wait at the airport = 60 minutes
Enter the amount of time you plan to allow for
check-in at the airport. Some airlines require you to check-in
by a certain time if you haven't done it online beforehand.
Remember to leave enough time to get through security lines.
Enter the amount of time it takes you to get to your
destination after you've landed at the arrival airport. This can vary
depending on whether you take a cab, get a ride from a friend, or drive
a rental car. Make sure you include extra time to get to the rental
agency and pick up the rental car if you are choosing that option.
We chose Waterloo Regional Airport (ALO) as your arrival airport.
You can change it to another nearby airport by selecting
one below. If the airport you want isn't listed,
try changing your destination.
Total travel time = 5 hours, 38 minutes
Driving time = 2 hours, 1 minute
Enter the total amount you're planning to spend
on hotel nights. We estimate you'll need to stay at a hotel
for every 12 hours of driving, and the average cost of a hotel
will be around $75. It doesn't really matter how many times
you stay overnight, the important thing is the total sum of
all of your hotel costs. Enter that number below.
Extra time for stops = 0 minutes
Enter the amount of time you plan to allow
for pit stops, rest stops, gas, naps, or detours along the way.
Enter your total estimate below.
Extra costs (tolls, rental car) = $0.00
Enter the total amount you're planning to
spend on extra costs for the road trip. Think about the
cost of tolls, food or snacks if you're bringing groceries
or stopping at restaurants, and any other miscellaneous
spending along the way. You can also include the cost of
a rental car here. Enter your total estimate below.
Wear and tear cost = $0.10 per mile
Enter the amount per mile you want to use
to estimate the wear and tear on your car. This can vary
depending on your preference. Some companies might pay
50 cents per mile for business travel, and the IRS has
various rules for standard mileage rates. On the other
hand, you may want to focus more on typical maintenance
costs and depreciation, which might be closer to 10 cents
per mile. Set this to zero if you're renting a car.
Enter your wear and tear cost per mile below.
Total wear and tear = $25.60
flying is better
Value of time factor = $56.35
Value of time factor = $20.24
Driving is usually cheaper, but it takes a lot longer.
So in order to get a better comparison, we include a special "value of time
factor" that estimates how much your time is worth. If you take a day off
work for a long road trip instead of a quick flight, you might add up
your lost earnings. The default we use is $10/hr
but you can enter any value you want below. If there are multiple
travelers, you can enter the sum of everyone's value.
driving is the winner
Fly Score = 256
Drive Score = 81
Cost to fly or drive
You can adjust any of the settings above to customize the
calculation for your exact trip. We assume some simple default
values to get a quick answer to start.
The Fly Score is an estimate of how much it
would cost you to take a flight, including factors to account
for the value of your time getting to the airport, checking in,
and waiting for the plane to take off and land. The default
fly score is 256
from Edina to Clear Lake.
The Drive Score is a comparable calculation
that estimates the total cost of doing a road trip. You might
spend less on gas than the price of airfare, but it could take
you longer to get there if you're driving. So we include the
value of your time spent in the car, as well as additional costs
for things like hotel, tolls, food, and whatever else you want
to include. The default drive score from Edina to Clear Lake is
81.
So in this case, it's better to
drive from Edina to Clear Lake.
It's significantly cheaper to drive on this trip, unless you made adjustments to the numbers above to alter the calculation.
