Drive or Fly: Mad River, OH to Middletown, 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 50 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

59m

Distance

50.4 mi

Total Cost

$46

CO2

20 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$11

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 10m

4m in the air

Air Distance

36 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

9 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mad River, OH → DAY 23m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DAY → Middletown, OH 43m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

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

Middletown, OH DAY — James M. Cox Dayton International Airport 28 mi, ~43m 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

3h 18m

2h 5m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0105

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mad River, OH → Springfield (Love's) (SIF6) 16m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 125m

Arrival 10m

Cincinnati Bus Station (CIN) → Middletown, OH 32m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From SIF6 — Springfield (Love's) 11 mi, ~16m drive

To CIN — Cincinnati Bus Station 21 mi, ~32m 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	59m	3h 10m	3h 18m
Total cost (1 person)	$46	$121	$7
Carbon footprint	20 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	4 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

45.4 mi 1h 5m

via I 675, SR 73, I 75

Alternative (+1 min)

46.7 mi 1h 7m

via SR 4, SR 73

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