Drive or Fly: Hammond, IN to Monon, 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–LAF. At 77 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 40m

Distance

77.6 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 4m

7m in the air

Air Distance

59 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

15 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hammond, IN → GYY 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LAF → Monon, IN 47m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Hammond, IN GYY — Gary/Chicago International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

Monon, IN LAF — Purdue University Airport 32 mi, ~47m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between GYY and LAF. 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

2h 4m

51m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hammond, IN → Dyer Amtrak 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 51m

Arrival 10m

Rensselaer Amtrak → Monon, IN 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From Dyer Amtrak 5 mi, ~10m drive

To Rensselaer Amtrak 15 mi, ~23m 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

2h 36m

1h 35m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0120S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hammond, IN → Gary Bus Station (GRY6) 13m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 95m

Arrival 10m

Rensselaer Bus Stop (RSS6) → Monon, IN 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From GRY6 — Gary Bus Station 8 mi, ~13m drive

To RSS6 — Rensselaer Bus Stop 15 mi, ~23m 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 40m	3h 4m	2h 4m	2h 36m
Total cost (1 person)	$52	$122	$9	$5
Carbon footprint	31 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂	3 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: 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 13, 2026.

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