Drive or Fly: Middlebury, OH to Youngstown, 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 FWA–CAK. At 237 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 30m

Distance

237 mi

Total Cost

$87

CO2

96 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$52

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

4h 9m

26m in the air

Air Distance

214 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

55 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Middlebury, OH → FWA 38m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 26m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CAK → Youngstown, OH 65m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Middlebury, OH FWA — Fort Wayne International Airport 25 mi, ~38m drive

Youngstown, OH CAK — Akron Canton Regional Airport 43 mi, ~65m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FWA and CAK. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

7h 5m

4h 42m on rail

Total Cost

$42

CO2

12 kg

Route

Floridian

Door-to-Door Timeline

Middlebury, OH → Waterloo Amtrak Station 64m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 282m

Arrival 10m

Alliance Amtrak → Youngstown, OH 39m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $42) $42

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

Stations

From Waterloo Amtrak Station 43 mi, ~64m drive

To Alliance Amtrak 26 mi, ~39m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	4h 30m	4h 9m	7h 5m
Total cost (1 person)	$87	$184	$42
Carbon footprint	96 kg CO₂	55 kg CO₂	12 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 — 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

237 mi 4h 29m

via US 30, I 76; I 77, I 71

Alternative (+34 min)

263.7 mi 5h 4m

via I 80, I 80; I 90, US 24

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