Drive or Fly: Richmond, IN to New Albany, 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 DAY–SDF. At 154 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 28m

Distance

154.6 mi

Total Cost

$69

CO2

62 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$34

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 22m

14m in the air

Air Distance

118 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

30 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Richmond, IN → DAY 54m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SDF → New Albany, IN 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Richmond, IN DAY — James M. Cox Dayton International Airport 36 mi, ~54m drive

New Albany, IN SDF — Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DAY and SDF. 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

5h 14m

3h 50m on road

Total Cost

$15

CO2

8 kg

Route

Greyhound US0105

Door-to-Door Timeline

Richmond, IN → Dayton Trotwood Bus Station (DAY6) 49m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 230m

Arrival 10m

Louisville Bus Station (LUD6) → New Albany, IN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From DAY6 — Dayton Trotwood Bus Station 32 mi, ~49m drive

To LUD6 — Louisville Bus Station 4 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 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	3h 28m	3h 22m	5h 14m
Total cost (1 person)	$69	$125	$15
Carbon footprint	62 kg CO₂	30 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: 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 14, 2026.

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