Drive or Fly: Saint Joseph, IN to Orleans, 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–SDF. At 55 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 12m

Distance

55 mi

Total Cost

$47

CO2

22 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$12

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 46m

5m in the air

Air Distance

39 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

10 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Joseph, IN → SDF 24m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SDF → Orleans, IN 77m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Saint Joseph, IN SDF — Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

Orleans, IN SDF — Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport 52 mi, ~77m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SDF 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

3h 39m

2h 5m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

FlixBus 2512

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Joseph, IN → Louisville Bus Station (LUD6) 16m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 125m

Arrival 10m

Bloomington (IN) (BMNN) → Orleans, IN 53m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From LUD6 — Louisville Bus Station 11 mi, ~16m drive

To BMNN — Bloomington (IN) 35 mi, ~53m 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	1h 12m	3h 46m	3h 39m
Total cost (1 person)	$47	$122	$8
Carbon footprint	22 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	4 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

55 mi 1h 12m

via US 150, SR 37, Grant Line Road

Shortest (+10 min)

48.5 mi 1h 22m

via SR 60, SR 337, SR 56

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