Drive or Fly: Alaska, IN to Winfield, 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–GYY. At 170 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 29m

Distance

170.8 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

69 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$38

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 19m

17m in the air

Air Distance

138 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alaska, IN → IND 38m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

GYY → Winfield, IN 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

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

Winfield, IN GYY — Gary/Chicago International Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between IND and GYY. 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

5h 20m

3h 29m on rail

Total Cost

$28

CO2

8 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alaska, IN → Indianapolis 49m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 209m

Arrival 10m

Dyer Amtrak → Winfield, IN 22m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

From Indianapolis 33 mi, ~49m drive

To Dyer Amtrak 15 mi, ~22m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~5/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 5 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 28m

4h 20m on road

Total Cost

$18

CO2

10 kg

Route

FlixBus 2512

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 260m

Arrival 10m

Merrillville (Southlake Mall) (MRLL) → Winfield, IN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

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

To MRLL — Merrillville (Southlake Mall) 5 mi, ~10m 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	3h 29m	3h 19m	5h 20m	5h 28m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$126	$28	$18
Carbon footprint	69 kg CO₂	35 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	10 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.

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