Drive or Fly: Springfield, OH to University Heights, OH?

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–CLE. At 183 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 35m

Distance

183.4 mi

Total Cost

$75

CO2

74 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$40

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 18m

19m in the air

Air Distance

161 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

41 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Springfield, OH → DAY 33m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CLE → University Heights, OH 26m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Springfield, OH DAY — James M. Cox Dayton International Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive

University Heights, OH CLE — Cleveland Hopkins International Airport 17 mi, ~26m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DAY and CLE. 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 6m

4h 20m on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US0105

Door-to-Door Timeline

Springfield, OH → Springfield (Love's) (SIF6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 260m

Arrival 10m

Cleveland Bus Station (CLD6) → University Heights, OH 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From SIF6 — Springfield (Love's) 5 mi, ~10m drive

To CLD6 — Cleveland Bus Station 8 mi, ~11m 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	3h 35m	3h 18m	5h 6m
Total cost (1 person)	$75	$126	$17
Carbon footprint	74 kg CO₂	41 kg CO₂	9 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

183.4 mi 3h 34m

via I 71, SR 4, I 271

Alternative (+3 min)

189.9 mi 3h 38m

via I 71, I 70, I 271

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Springfield, OH to University Heights, OH with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.