Drive or Fly: Cleveland, OH to Fairfield Beach, 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 CLE–CMH. At 143 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 5m

Distance

143.1 mi

Total Cost

$67

CO2

58 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$32

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 3m

14m in the air

Air Distance

117 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

30 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cleveland, OH → CLE 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CMH → Fairfield Beach, OH 34m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Cleveland, OH CLE — Cleveland Hopkins International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

Fairfield Beach, OH CMH — John Glenn Columbus International Airport 23 mi, ~34m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CLE and CMH. 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

3h 56m

2h 40m on road

Total Cost

$14

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US0105

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cleveland, OH → Cleveland Downtown (E 12th St) (CLV6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 160m

Arrival 10m

Columbus (E Mound St) (CUS6) → Fairfield Beach, OH 41m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $14) $14

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

Stations

From CLV6 — Cleveland Downtown (E 12th St) 1 mi, ~10m drive

To CUS6 — Columbus (E Mound St) 27 mi, ~41m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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 7 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	3h 5m	3h 3m	3h 56m
Total cost (1 person)	$67	$125	$14
Carbon footprint	58 kg CO₂	30 kg CO₂	7 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 13, 2026.

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