Skip to main content

Drive or Fly: Bloomfield, IN to Portage, 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 231 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 30m

Distance

231.4 mi

Total Cost

$86

CO2

93 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$51
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

4h 8m

21m in the air

Air Distance

177 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

45 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bloomfield, IN → IND 88m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 21m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
GYY → Portage, IN 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Bloomfield, IN IND — Indianapolis International Airport 59 mi, ~88m drive
Portage, IN GYY — Gary/Chicago International Airport 13 mi, ~19m 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
May need a rental car at destination
Luggage fees and restrictions
Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 14m

3h 29m on rail

Total Cost

$28

CO2

8 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bloomfield, IN → Indianapolis 98m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 209m
Arrival 10m
Dyer Amtrak → Portage, IN 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

From Indianapolis 66 mi, ~98m drive
To Dyer Amtrak 18 mi, ~27m 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

At a Glance

Drive Fly Train
Door-to-door time 4h 30m 4h 8m 6h 14m
Total cost (1 person) $86 $182 $28
Carbon footprint 93 kg CO2 45 kg CO2 8 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 — 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 14, 2026.

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