Drive or Fly: Hilliard, OH to Hamilton, 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 CMH–LUK. At 104 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 8m

Distance

104.2 mi

Total Cost

$58

CO2

42 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$23

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

10m in the air

Air Distance

86 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

22 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hilliard, OH → CMH 21m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LUK → Hamilton, OH 33m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Hilliard, OH CMH — John Glenn Columbus International Airport 14 mi, ~21m drive

Hamilton, OH LUK — Cincinnati Municipal Airport Lunken Field 22 mi, ~33m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CMH and LUK. 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 31m

3h 35m on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US0105

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hilliard, OH → Columbus Bus Station (CLS6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 215m

Arrival 10m

Cincinnati Bus Station (CIN) → Hamilton, OH 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From CLS6 — Columbus Bus Station 5 mi, ~10m drive

To CIN — Cincinnati Bus Station 14 mi, ~21m 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	2h 8m	3h 4m	4h 31m
Total cost (1 person)	$58	$123	$10
Carbon footprint	42 kg CO₂	22 kg CO₂	5 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

104.2 mi 2h 7m

via I 70, SR 4, SR 63

Alternative (+0 min)

105.1 mi 2h 7m

via I 70, I 675, I 75

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