Drive or Fly: Gary, IN to Simonton Lake, IN?

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 GYY–SBN. At 80 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 32m

Distance

80.6 mi

Total Cost

$53

CO2

33 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$18

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

2h 46m

9m in the air

Air Distance

72 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gary, IN → GYY 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SBN → Simonton Lake, IN 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Gary, IN GYY — Gary/Chicago International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Simonton Lake, IN SBN — South Bend International Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between GYY and SBN. 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

2h 8m

1h 10m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0164

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gary, IN → Gary Bus Station (GRY6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 70m

Arrival 10m

South Bend Transpo (S St Station) (SBI6) → Simonton Lake, IN 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From GRY6 — Gary Bus Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To SBI6 — South Bend Transpo (S St Station) 15 mi, ~23m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~15/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

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 32m	2h 46m	2h 8m
Total cost (1 person)	$53	$123	$6
Carbon footprint	33 kg CO₂	18 kg CO₂	3 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 16, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Gary, IN to Simonton Lake, IN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.