Drive or Fly: Dayton, OH to Chillicothe, 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–LCK. At 77 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 31m

Distance

77.2 mi

Total Cost

$52

CO2

31 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$17

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

8m in the air

Air Distance

71 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Dayton, OH → DAY 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LCK → Chillicothe, OH 50m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Dayton, OH DAY — James M. Cox Dayton International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

Chillicothe, OH LCK — Rickenbacker International Airport 33 mi, ~50m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DAY and LCK. 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

5h 14m

2h 18m on rail

Total Cost

$18

CO2

5 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Dayton, OH → Cincinnati Union Terminal 73m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 138m

Arrival 10m

South Portsmouth Amtrak → Chillicothe, OH 63m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From Cincinnati Union Terminal 48 mi, ~73m drive

To South Portsmouth Amtrak 42 mi, ~63m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 55m

2h 15m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0105

Door-to-Door Timeline

Dayton, OH → Dayton Trotwood Bus Station (DAY6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 135m

Arrival 10m

Columbus (E Mound St) (CUS6) → Chillicothe, OH 65m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From DAY6 — Dayton Trotwood Bus Station 6 mi, ~10m drive

To CUS6 — Columbus (E Mound St) 43 mi, ~65m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 31m	3h 13m	5h 14m	3h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$52	$123	$18	$8
Carbon footprint	31 kg CO₂	18 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	4 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, 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 16, 2026.

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