Drive or Fly: Otterbein, 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 LAF–IND. At 88 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 48m

Distance

88.1 mi

Total Cost

$54

CO2

36 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$19

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 2m

9m in the air

Air Distance

74 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

19 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Otterbein, IN → LAF 15m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

IND → Alaska, IN 38m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Otterbein, IN LAF — Purdue University Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LAF 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 39m

1h 53m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

3 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Otterbein, IN → Lafayette Amtrak Station 17m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 113m

Arrival 10m

Indianapolis → Alaska, IN 49m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From Lafayette Amtrak Station 12 mi, ~17m drive

To Indianapolis 33 mi, ~49m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 50m

2h 35m on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

5 kg

Route

FlixBus 2512

Door-to-Door Timeline

Otterbein, IN → Lafayette Bus Stop (LFY6) 17m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 155m

Arrival 10m

Bloomington (IN) (BMNN) → Alaska, IN 33m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From LFY6 — Lafayette Bus Stop 12 mi, ~17m drive

To BMNN — Bloomington (IN) 22 mi, ~33m 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	1h 48m	3h 2m	3h 39m	3h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$54	$123	$12	$10
Carbon footprint	36 kg CO₂	19 kg CO₂	3 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: 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 16, 2026.

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