Drive or Fly: Middletown, IN to Portage, 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 IND–GYY. At 190 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 44m

Distance

190.4 mi

Total Cost

$77

CO2

77 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$42

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 37m

20m in the air

Air Distance

167 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

43 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Middletown, IN → IND 58m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

GYY → Portage, IN 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Middletown, IN IND — Indianapolis International Airport 39 mi, ~58m drive

Portage, IN GYY — Gary/Chicago International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between IND and GYY. 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

7h 30m

5h 38m on rail

Total Cost

$36

CO2

10 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Middletown, IN → Connersville Amtrak 45m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 338m

Arrival 10m

Dyer Amtrak → Portage, IN 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $36) $36

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

Stations

From Connersville Amtrak 30 mi, ~45m drive

To Dyer Amtrak 18 mi, ~27m 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

4h 44m

3h 15m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

8 kg

Route

FlixBus 2515

Door-to-Door Timeline

Middletown, IN → Indianapolis (E Washington St) (5IN) 51m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 195m

Arrival 10m

Gary Bus Station (GRY6) → Portage, IN 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From 5IN — Indianapolis (E Washington St) 34 mi, ~51m drive

To GRY6 — Gary Bus Station 9 mi, ~13m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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 7 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	3h 44m	3h 37m	7h 30m	4h 44m
Total cost (1 person)	$77	$127	$36	$16
Carbon footprint	77 kg CO₂	43 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	8 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

190.4 mi 3h 44m

via I 65, I 74; US 421, Central Avenue

Alternative (+39 min)

206.7 mi 4h 23m

via US 31, US 30, I 74; US 421

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