Drive or Fly: New Chicago, IN to Terre Haute, 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 GYY–CMI. At 162 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 26m

Distance

162 mi

Total Cost

$71

CO2

65 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$36

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

17m in the air

Air Distance

145 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Chicago, IN → GYY 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CMI → Terre Haute, IN 91m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

New Chicago, IN GYY — Gary/Chicago International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

Terre Haute, IN CMI — University of Illinois Willard Airport 61 mi, ~91m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between GYY and CMI. 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

4h 48m

2h 36m on rail

Total Cost

$21

CO2

6 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Chicago, IN → Dyer Amtrak 19m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 156m

Arrival 10m

Crawfordsville Amtrak → Terre Haute, IN 73m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From Dyer Amtrak 13 mi, ~19m drive

To Crawfordsville Amtrak 48 mi, ~73m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 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	3h 26m	4h	4h 48m
Total cost (1 person)	$71	$126	$21
Carbon footprint	65 kg CO₂	37 kg CO₂	6 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 14, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from New Chicago, IN to Terre Haute, IN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.