Drive or Fly: Anderson, OH to Middletown, 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 87 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 55m

Distance

87.7 mi

Total Cost

$54

CO2

35 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$19

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 40m

9m in the air

Air Distance

72 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Anderson, OH → LCK 48m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DAY → Middletown, OH 43m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Anderson, OH LCK — Rickenbacker International Airport 32 mi, ~48m drive

Middletown, OH DAY — James M. Cox Dayton International Airport 28 mi, ~43m 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

5h 4m

2h 34m on rail

Total Cost

$18

CO2

5 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Anderson, OH → South Portsmouth Amtrak 67m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 154m

Arrival 10m

Cincinnati Union Terminal → Middletown, OH 43m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From South Portsmouth Amtrak 45 mi, ~67m drive

To Cincinnati Union Terminal 29 mi, ~43m 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

6h 9m

4h 10m on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US0105

Door-to-Door Timeline

Anderson, OH → Columbus (E Mound St) (CUS6) 62m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 250m

Arrival 10m

Cincinnati Bus Station (CIN) → Middletown, OH 32m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From CUS6 — Columbus (E Mound St) 41 mi, ~62m drive

To CIN — Cincinnati Bus Station 21 mi, ~32m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 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	1h 55m	3h 40m	5h 4m	6h 9m
Total cost (1 person)	$54	$123	$18	$10
Carbon footprint	35 kg CO₂	18 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	5 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

87.7 mi 1h 54m

via US 35, SR 73, I 71

Alternative (+0 min)

90.1 mi 1h 54m

via US 35, I 71, SR 122

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