Drive or Fly: Cleveland, OH to Middlebury, 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–FWA. At 206 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 53m

Distance

206 mi

Total Cost

$80

CO2

83 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$45

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 13m

20m in the air

Air Distance

165 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

42 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cleveland, OH → CLE 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FWA → Middlebury, OH 38m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Middlebury, OH FWA — Fort Wayne International Airport 25 mi, ~38m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CLE and FWA. 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

5h 31m

3h 37m on rail

Total Cost

$34

CO2

10 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cleveland, OH → Cleveland 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 217m

Arrival 10m

Waterloo Amtrak Station → Middlebury, OH 64m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $34) $34

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

Stations

From Cleveland 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Waterloo Amtrak Station 43 mi, ~64m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 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	3h 53m	3h 13m	5h 31m
Total cost (1 person)	$80	$182	$34
Carbon footprint	83 kg CO₂	42 kg CO₂	10 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

206 mi 3h 52m

via US 30, I 71, US 224

Alternative (+14 min)

207.3 mi 4h 7m

via I 90, US 24, US 127

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