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Drive or Fly: Bethlehem, 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 CMH–DAY. At 121 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 48m

Distance

121.8 mi

Total Cost

$62

CO2

49 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$27
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 56m

13m in the air

Air Distance

108 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

27 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bethlehem, OH → CMH 88m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 13m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
DAY → Dayton, OH 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Bethlehem, OH CMH — John Glenn Columbus International Airport 59 mi, ~88m drive
Dayton, OH DAY — James M. Cox Dayton International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CMH 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 57m

4h on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US0105

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bethlehem, OH → Mansfield Bus Stop (MSN6) 22m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 240m
Arrival 10m
Dayton Trotwood Bus Station (DAY6) → Dayton, OH 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From MSN6 — Mansfield Bus Stop 15 mi, ~22m drive
To DAY6 — Dayton Trotwood Bus Station 6 mi, ~10m 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 Bus
Door-to-door time 2h 48m 3h 56m 4h 57m
Total cost (1 person) $62 $124 $12
Carbon footprint 49 kg CO2 27 kg CO2 6 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: 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 16, 2026.

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