Drive or Fly: Alaska, IN to Austin, IN?

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 IND–SDF. At 111 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 21m

Distance

111.6 mi

Total Cost

$60

CO2

45 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$25

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 47m

8m in the air

Air Distance

66 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

17 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alaska, IN → IND 38m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SDF → Austin, IN 61m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Alaska, IN IND — Indianapolis International Airport 25 mi, ~38m drive

Austin, IN SDF — Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport 41 mi, ~61m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between IND and SDF. 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

4h 32m

1h 16m on rail

Total Cost

$11

CO2

3 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alaska, IN → Indianapolis 49m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 76m

Arrival 10m

Connersville Amtrak → Austin, IN 107m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From Indianapolis 33 mi, ~49m drive

To Connersville Amtrak 71 mi, ~107m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 1m

2h 10m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

FlixBus 2512

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alaska, IN → Bloomington (IN) (BMNN) 33m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 130m

Arrival 10m

Louisville Bus Station (LUD6) → Austin, IN 53m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From BMNN — Bloomington (IN) 22 mi, ~33m drive

To LUD6 — Louisville Bus Station 35 mi, ~53m 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 21m	3h 47m	4h 32m	4h 1m
Total cost (1 person)	$60	$123	$11	$8
Carbon footprint	45 kg CO₂	17 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	4 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

111.6 mi 2h 20m

via I 65, I 70, I 74; I 465

Shortest (+0 min)

101.1 mi 2h 21m

via I 65, I 70, West Greencastle Road

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Alaska, IN to Austin, IN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.