Cherry Capital Airport (TVC) has direct flights to several major US hubs including Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, and Atlanta. The airport is small and convenient — no shuttle needed, rental cars are right outside the terminal.
By car, Traverse City is about four hours from Detroit and three and a half hours from Chicago. The drive from Detroit via US-131 through the fruit belt of western Michigan is more scenic than the more direct I-75 route. There is no passenger rail service to Traverse City.