Drive or Fly: Owensboro, KY to Richmond, KY?

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 OWB–LEX. At 204 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 54m

Distance

204 mi

Total Cost

$80

CO2

82 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$45

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 7m

18m in the air

Air Distance

154 mi

Total Cost

$181

CO2

39 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Owensboro, KY → OWB 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LEX → Richmond, KY 39m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Owensboro, KY OWB — Owensboro Daviess County Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Richmond, KY LEX — Blue Grass Airport 26 mi, ~39m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between OWB and LEX. 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	3h 54m	3h 7m
Total cost (1 person)	$80	$181
Carbon footprint	82 kg CO₂	39 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

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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

204 mi 3h 53m

via Bluegrass Parkway, Western Kentucky Parkway, I 165

Alternative (+6 min)

207.1 mi 4h 0m

via I 64; US 150, I 64, US 60; US 231

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Owensboro, KY to Richmond, KY with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.