Drive or Fly: Amanda, OH to Dayton, OH?

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 LCK–DAY. At 88 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 40m

Distance

88.4 mi

Total Cost

$55

CO2

36 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$20

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

2h 47m

9m in the air

Air Distance

77 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

20 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Amanda, OH → LCK 23m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DAY → Dayton, OH 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Amanda, OH LCK — Rickenbacker International Airport 15 mi, ~23m drive

Dayton, OH DAY — James M. Cox Dayton International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LCK and DAY. 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

6h 5m

2h 34m on rail

Total Cost

$18

CO2

5 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Amanda, OH → South Portsmouth Amtrak 98m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 154m

Arrival 10m

Cincinnati Union Terminal → Dayton, OH 73m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From South Portsmouth Amtrak 65 mi, ~98m drive

To Cincinnati Union Terminal 48 mi, ~73m 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

3h 47m

2h 35m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0421

Door-to-Door Timeline

Amanda, OH → Columbus (E Mound St) (CUS6) 37m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 155m

Arrival 10m

Dayton Trotwood Bus Station (DAY6) → Dayton, OH 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From CUS6 — Columbus (E Mound St) 25 mi, ~37m drive

To DAY6 — Dayton Trotwood Bus Station 6 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− 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	1h 40m	2h 47m	6h 5m	3h 47m
Total cost (1 person)	$55	$123	$18	$8
Carbon footprint	36 kg CO₂	20 kg CO₂	5 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Amanda, OH to Dayton, OH with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.