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Drive or Fly: Mad River, OH to Kettering, 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 DAY–DAY. At 26 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

42m

Distance

26.2 mi

Total Cost

$41

CO2

11 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$6
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 48m

2m in the air

Air Distance

19 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

5 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mad River, OH → DAY 23m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 2m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
DAY → Kettering, OH 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Mad River, OH DAY — James M. Cox Dayton International Airport 16 mi, ~23m drive
Kettering, OH DAY — James M. Cox Dayton International Airport 15 mi, ~23m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DAY 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 37m

40m on road

Total Cost

$3

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0105

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mad River, OH → Springfield (Love's) (SIF6) 16m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 40m
Arrival 10m
Dayton Trotwood Bus Station (DAY6) → Kettering, OH 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From SIF6 — Springfield (Love's) 11 mi, ~16m drive
To DAY6 — Dayton Trotwood Bus Station 11 mi, ~16m 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 42m 2h 48m 1h 37m
Total cost (1 person) $41 $121 $3
Carbon footprint 11 kg CO2 5 kg CO2 2 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest
26.2 mi 42m

via I 675, East Stroop Road, Dayton Road

Alternative (+2 min)
27.8 mi 44m

via SR 4, SR 48

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