Drive or Fly: Terre Haute, IN to Rochester, 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 CMI–SBN. At 173 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 33m

Distance

173.3 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

70 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$38

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

4h 53m

15m in the air

Air Distance

127 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

32 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Terre Haute, IN → CMI 91m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SBN → Rochester, IN 67m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Terre Haute, IN CMI — University of Illinois Willard Airport 61 mi, ~91m drive

Rochester, IN SBN — South Bend International Airport 45 mi, ~67m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CMI and SBN. 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	3h 33m	4h 53m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$125
Carbon footprint	70 kg CO₂	32 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

173.3 mi 3h 33m

via US 31, I 70; US 40, 65

Shortest (+4 min)

160.8 mi 3h 37m

via SR 25, SR 63, I 74

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