Drive or Fly: McLean, 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 LCK–DAY. At 53 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 13m

Distance

53.7 mi

Total Cost

$47

CO2

22 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$12

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 16m

6m in the air

Air Distance

46 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

12 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

McLean, OH → LCK 47m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DAY → Kettering, OH 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

McLean, OH LCK — Rickenbacker International Airport 31 mi, ~47m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LCK 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 46m

2h 34m on rail

Total Cost

$18

CO2

5 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

McLean, OH → South Portsmouth Amtrak 85m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 154m

Arrival 10m

Cincinnati Union Terminal → Kettering, OH 67m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From South Portsmouth Amtrak 57 mi, ~85m drive

To Cincinnati Union Terminal 45 mi, ~67m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~5/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 5 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 13m

40m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0105

Door-to-Door Timeline

McLean, OH → Springfield (Love's) (SIF6) 52m

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) 35 mi, ~52m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 13m	3h 16m	5h 46m	2h 13m
Total cost (1 person)	$47	$122	$18	$3
Carbon footprint	22 kg CO₂	12 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: 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

53.7 mi 1h 13m

via US 35, East Stroop Road, Old United States Highway 35 Southeast

Alternative (+2 min)

55.3 mi 1h 15m

via US 35, C-44, SR 725

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