There are 5 ways to get from Brainerd to Mackinac Island by plane, bus, or ferry
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport to Chippewa County International Airport, bus, ferry
best- Fly from Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport (BRD) to Chippewa County International Airport (CIU)plane BRD - CIU
- Take the bus from Kinross to St. Ignace Transportation Centerbus
- Take the ferry from Mackinaw City to Mackinac Islandferry
7h 4m$128–460Fly Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport to Traverse City, bus, ferry
cheapest- Fly from Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport (BRD) to Traverse City (TVC)plane BRD - TVC
- Take the bus from Traverse City, MI to Mackinaw Citybus
- Take the ferry from Mackinaw City to Mackinac Islandferry
11h 46m$124–445Bus, ferry
- Take the bus from Brainerd to Duluthbus
- Take the bus from Duluth Transportation Center East to Ironwoodbus
- Take the bus from Ironwood to St. Ignace Transportation Centerbus
- Take the ferry from Mackinaw City to Mackinac Islandferry
16h 54m$149–255Fly Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport to Delta County Airport, bus, ferry
- Fly from Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport (BRD) to Delta County Airport (ESC)plane BRD - ESC
- Take the bus from Escanaba, MI to St. Ignace Transportation Centerbus
- Take the ferry from Mackinaw City to Mackinac Islandferry
11h$162–492Bus to Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, fly to Chippewa County International Airport, bus, ferry
- Take the bus from Perkins Restaurant & Bakery - Brainerd to Minneapolis / St Paul Airportbus
- Fly from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) to Chippewa County International Airport (CIU)plane MSP - CIU
- Take the bus from Kinross to St. Ignace Transportation Centerbus
- Take the ferry from Mackinaw City to Mackinac Islandferry
9h 21m$170–538
Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport (BRD) to Chippewa County International Airport (CIU) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Brainerd to Mackinac Island is to bus and ferry which costs $140 - $260 and takes 16h 54m.
The fastest way to get from Brainerd to Mackinac Island is to fly and bus and ferry which takes 7h 4m and costs $120 - $460.
The distance between Brainerd and Mackinac Island is 522 miles.
The best way to get from Brainerd to Mackinac Island without a car is to bus and ferry which takes 16h 54m and costs $140 - $260.
It takes approximately 7h 4m to get from Brainerd to Mackinac Island, including transfers.
Mackinac Island is 1h ahead of Brainerd. It is currently 4:21 AM in Brainerd and 5:21 AM in Mackinac Island.
There are 104+ hotels available in Mackinac Island.
What companies run services between Brainerd, MN, USA and Mackinac Island, MI, USA?
There is no direct connection from Brainerd to Mackinac Island. However, you can take the taxi to Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport (BRD) airport, fly to Chippewa County International Airport (CIU), take the taxi to Kinross, take the bus to St. Ignace Transportation Center, take the line 1485 bus to Mackinaw, walk to Mackinaw City, then take the ferry to Mackinac Island. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Brainerd to Mackinac Island via Duluth Transportation Center East, Ironwood, St. Ignace, Mackinaw, and Mackinaw City in around 16h 54m.
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport to Chippewa County International Airport via Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 34m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $65–350
Flights from Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport to Chippewa County International Airport via Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, Detroit
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 38m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $90–430
Flights from Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport to Traverse City via Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 26m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $60–340
Flights from Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport to Traverse City via Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, Detroit
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 9m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $85–410
Flights from Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport to Delta County Airport via Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 33m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $55–320
Flights from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Chippewa County International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 34m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $65–390
- Phone
- +1 989-725-5105
- Website
- indiantrails.com
Bus from Kinross to St. Ignace Transportation Center
- Ave. Duration
- 35 min
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $7–21
- Website
- https://indiantrails.com
Bus from Duluth Transportation Center East to Ironwood
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 20m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $19–40
- Website
- https://indiantrails.com
Bus from Ironwood to St. Ignace Transportation Center
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 20m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $65–110
- Website
- https://indiantrails.com
Bus from Traverse City, MI to Mackinaw City
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 55m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $18–40
- Website
- https://indiantrails.com
Bus from Escanaba, MI to St. Ignace Transportation Center
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 20m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $35–65
- Website
- https://indiantrails.com
Bus from Kinross to St. Ignace Transportation Center
- Ave. Duration
- 35 min
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $7–21
- Website
- https://indiantrails.com
- Phone
- +1-858-800-8898
- Website
- jeffersonlines.com
Bus from Brainerd to Duluth
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 35m
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Estimated price
- $35–55
- Book at
- https://www.jeffersonlines.com
- Adult
- $35–55
- Phone
- +1 320-316-0943
- Website
- groometransportation.com
Bus from Perkins Restaurant & Bakery - Brainerd to Minneapolis / St Paul Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 20m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $60
- Schedules at
- groometransportation.com
- Phone
- +1 800.638.9892
- Website
- arnoldtransitcompany.com
Ferry from Mackinaw City to Mackinac Island
- Ave. Duration
- 15 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $25–37
- Schedules at
- https://www.arnoldtransitcompany.com/schedules/
- Website
- https://www.arnoldtransitcompany.com/
- Adult Round Trip
- $37
- Adult One-way
- $25
Ferry from Mackinaw City to Mackinac Island
- Ave. Duration
- 15 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $25–37
- Schedules at
- https://www.arnoldtransitcompany.com/schedules/
- Website
- https://www.arnoldtransitcompany.com/
- Adult Round Trip
- $37
- Adult One-way
- $25
Ferry from Mackinaw City to Mackinac Island
- Ave. Duration
- 15 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $25–37
- Schedules at
- https://www.arnoldtransitcompany.com/schedules/
- Website
- https://www.arnoldtransitcompany.com/
- Adult Round Trip
- $37
- Adult One-way
- $25
Ferry from Mackinaw City to Mackinac Island
- Ave. Duration
- 15 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $25–37
- Schedules at
- https://www.arnoldtransitcompany.com/schedules/
- Website
- https://www.arnoldtransitcompany.com/
- Adult Round Trip
- $37
- Adult One-way
- $25
Ferry from Mackinaw City to Mackinac Island
- Ave. Duration
- 15 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $25–37
- Schedules at
- https://www.arnoldtransitcompany.com/schedules/
- Website
- https://www.arnoldtransitcompany.com/
- Adult Round Trip
- $37
- Adult One-way
- $25
- Phone
- +1 231-436-5023
- Website
- sheplersferry.com
Ferry from Mackinaw City to Mackinac Island
- Ave. Duration
- 20 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $38
- Website
- https://www.sheplersferry.com
- Adult Round Trip
- $38
Ferry from Mackinaw City to Mackinac Island
- Ave. Duration
- 20 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $38
- Website
- https://www.sheplersferry.com
- Adult Round Trip
- $38
Ferry from Mackinaw City to Mackinac Island
- Ave. Duration
- 20 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $38
- Website
- https://www.sheplersferry.com
- Adult Round Trip
- $38
Ferry from Mackinaw City to Mackinac Island
- Ave. Duration
- 20 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $38
- Website
- https://www.sheplersferry.com
- Adult Round Trip
- $38
Ferry from Mackinaw City to Mackinac Island
- Ave. Duration
- 20 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $38
- Website
- https://www.sheplersferry.com
- Adult Round Trip
- $38
- Phone
- +1 (800) 638-9892
- Website
- arnoldtransitcompany.com
Ferry from Mackinaw City to Mackinac Island
- Ave. Duration
- 40 min
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- $37
- Website
- https://www.arnoldtransitcompany.com
- Adult Roundtrip
- $37
Ferry from Mackinaw City to Mackinac Island
- Ave. Duration
- 40 min
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- $37
- Website
- https://www.arnoldtransitcompany.com
- Adult Roundtrip
- $37
Ferry from Mackinaw City to Mackinac Island
- Ave. Duration
- 40 min
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- $37
- Website
- https://www.arnoldtransitcompany.com
- Adult Roundtrip
- $37
Ferry from Mackinaw City to Mackinac Island
- Ave. Duration
- 40 min
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- $37
- Website
- https://www.arnoldtransitcompany.com
- Adult Roundtrip
- $37
Ferry from Mackinaw City to Mackinac Island
- Ave. Duration
- 40 min
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- $37
- Website
- https://www.arnoldtransitcompany.com
- Adult Roundtrip
- $37
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