Drive or Fly: Lafayette, IN to Union City, 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 LAF–DAY. At 119 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 58m

Distance

119 mi

Total Cost

$61

CO2

48 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$26

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 19m

13m in the air

Air Distance

110 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

28 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lafayette, IN → LAF 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DAY → Union City, IN 56m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Lafayette, IN LAF — Purdue University Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

Union City, IN DAY — James M. Cox Dayton International Airport 37 mi, ~56m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LAF 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 28m

3h 35m on rail

Total Cost

$22

CO2

6 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lafayette, IN → Lafayette Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 215m

Arrival 10m

Connersville Amtrak → Union City, IN 63m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $22) $22

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

Stations

From Lafayette Amtrak Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Connersville Amtrak 42 mi, ~63m 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

4h 48m

3h 15m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

8 kg

Route

FlixBus 2511

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lafayette, IN → Lafayette Bus Stop (LFY6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 195m

Arrival 10m

Dayton Trotwood Bus Station (DAY6) → Union City, IN 58m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From LFY6 — Lafayette Bus Stop 1 mi, ~10m drive

To DAY6 — Dayton Trotwood Bus Station 39 mi, ~58m 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	2h 58m	3h 19m	5h 28m	4h 48m
Total cost (1 person)	$61	$124	$22	$16
Carbon footprint	48 kg CO₂	28 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	8 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

119 mi 2h 58m

via SR 28, I 65, US 35; SR 28

Alternative (+7 min)

136.8 mi 3h 5m

via SR 26, SR 18, US 27; SR 67

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