Drive or Fly: Long Beach, IN to Portage, 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 MGC–GYY. At 24 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

40m

Distance

24 mi

Total Cost

$40

CO2

10 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$5

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 31m

2m in the air

Air Distance

20 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

5 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Long Beach, IN → MGC 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

GYY → Portage, IN 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Long Beach, IN MGC — Michigan City Municipal Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

Portage, IN GYY — Gary/Chicago International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MGC and GYY. 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

1h 46m

35m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US0120S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Long Beach, IN → Valparaiso (Valpo Village Station) (VPR6) 33m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 35m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $2) $2

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

Stations

From VPR6 — Valparaiso (Valpo Village Station) 22 mi, ~33m drive

To GRY6 — Gary Bus Station 9 mi, ~13m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	40m	2h 31m	1h 46m
Total cost (1 person)	$40	$121	$2
Carbon footprint	10 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	1 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

24 mi 39m

via I 94, US 20

Alternative (+6 min)

28.6 mi 45m

via I 80; I 90, US 421

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