Drive or Fly: Bloomington, IN to Middlebury, 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–IND. At 39 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 10m

Distance

39.8 mi

Total Cost

$44

CO2

16 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$9

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 25m

4m in the air

Air Distance

32 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

8 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bloomington, IN → IND 60m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

IND → Middlebury, IN 81m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Bloomington, IN IND — Indianapolis International Airport 40 mi, ~60m drive

Middlebury, IN IND — Indianapolis International Airport 54 mi, ~81m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between IND and IND. 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

4h 9m

58m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bloomington, IN → Indianapolis 68m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 58m

Arrival 10m

Crawfordsville Amtrak → Middlebury, IN 83m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From Indianapolis 46 mi, ~68m drive

To Crawfordsville Amtrak 55 mi, ~83m 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	1h 10m	4h 25m	4h 9m
Total cost (1 person)	$44	$121	$9
Carbon footprint	16 kg CO₂	8 kg CO₂	3 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

39.8 mi 1h 10m

via SR 246, SR 46, SR 45; SR 46

Alternative (+7 min)

40.9 mi 1h 17m

via Porter Ridge Road, SR 48, Coal City-Arney Road

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