Drive or Fly: Indianapolis, IN to New Pekin, 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 IND–SDF. At 108 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 14m

Distance

108.3 mi

Total Cost

$59

CO2

44 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$24

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 5m

11m in the air

Air Distance

88 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

22 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Indianapolis, IN → IND 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SDF → New Pekin, IN 42m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Indianapolis, IN IND — Indianapolis International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

New Pekin, IN SDF — Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport 28 mi, ~42m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between IND and SDF. 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

3h 48m

2h 40m on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

6 kg

Route

FlixBus 2512

Door-to-Door Timeline

Indianapolis, IN → Indianapolis (E Washington St) (5IN) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 160m

Arrival 10m

Louisville Bus Station (LUD6) → New Pekin, IN 33m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From 5IN — Indianapolis (E Washington St) 0 mi, ~10m drive

To LUD6 — Louisville Bus Station 22 mi, ~33m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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	2h 14m	3h 5m	3h 48m
Total cost (1 person)	$59	$124	$12
Carbon footprint	44 kg CO₂	22 kg CO₂	6 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 13, 2026.

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