Drive or Fly: Garfield Heights, OH to Springfield, 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–DAY. At 176 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 25m

Distance

176.2 mi

Total Cost

$74

CO2

71 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$39

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 11m

19m in the air

Air Distance

155 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

39 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Garfield Heights, OH → CLE 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DAY → Springfield, OH 33m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Garfield Heights, OH CLE — Cleveland Hopkins International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

Springfield, OH DAY — James M. Cox Dayton International Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CLE and DAY. 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

4h 57m

4h 11m on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US0105

Door-to-Door Timeline

Garfield Heights, OH → Cleveland Bus Station (CLD6) 11m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 251m

Arrival 10m

Springfield (Love's) (SIF6) → Springfield, OH 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From CLD6 — Cleveland Bus Station 7 mi, ~11m drive

To SIF6 — Springfield (Love's) 5 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 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 25m	3h 11m	4h 57m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$126	$17
Carbon footprint	71 kg CO₂	39 kg CO₂	9 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 15, 2026.

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