Drive or Fly: New Pekin, IN to Alaska, 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 SDF–IND. At 94 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 1m

Distance

94.7 mi

Total Cost

$56

CO2

38 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$21

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 29m

9m in the air

Air Distance

75 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

19 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Pekin, IN → SDF 42m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

IND → Alaska, IN 38m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

New Pekin, IN SDF — Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport 28 mi, ~42m drive

Alaska, IN IND — Indianapolis International Airport 25 mi, ~38m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SDF and IND. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 30m

2h 5m on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Pekin, IN → Louisville Bus Station (LUD6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 125m

Arrival 10m

Bloomington (IN) (BMNN) → Alaska, IN 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From LUD6 — Louisville Bus Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To BMNN — Bloomington (IN) 0 mi, ~30m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 1m	3h 29m	3h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$56	$123	$8
Carbon footprint	38 kg CO₂	19 kg CO₂	5 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: 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 13, 2026.

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