Drive or Fly: Middlebury, IN to Lafayette, 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 SBN–LAF. At 133 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 29m

Distance

133.7 mi

Total Cost

$65

CO2

54 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$30

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

13m in the air

Air Distance

106 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

27 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Middlebury, IN → SBN 47m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LAF → Lafayette, IN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Middlebury, IN SBN — South Bend International Airport 32 mi, ~47m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SBN and LAF. 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	2h 29m	3h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$65	$124
Carbon footprint	54 kg CO₂	27 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

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

133.5 mi 2h 58m

via SR 25, US 20, BUS US 31

Shortest (+12 min)

132.4 mi 3h 11m

via SR 15, US 24; US 35, US 24

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