Drive or Fly: Clinton, OH to Columbus, 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 DAY–CMH. At 58 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 1m

Distance

58.5 mi

Total Cost

$48

CO2

24 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$13

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 15m

6m in the air

Air Distance

53 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

13 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Clinton, OH → DAY 59m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CMH → Columbus, OH 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Clinton, OH DAY — James M. Cox Dayton International Airport 39 mi, ~59m drive

Columbus, OH CMH — John Glenn Columbus International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DAY 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	1h 1m	3h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$48	$122
Carbon footprint	24 kg CO₂	13 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

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 Clinton, OH to Columbus, OH with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.