Drive or Fly: Terre Haute, IN to Union City, 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–DAY. At 177 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 41m

Distance

177.7 mi

Total Cost

$74

CO2

72 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$39

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 45m

18m in the air

Air Distance

147 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

38 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Terre Haute, IN → CMI 91m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DAY → Union City, IN 56m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

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

Union City, IN DAY — James M. Cox Dayton International Airport 37 mi, ~56m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CMI and DAY. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 57m

3h 1m on rail

Total Cost

$20

CO2

6 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Terre Haute, IN → Crawfordsville Amtrak 73m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 181m

Arrival 10m

Connersville Amtrak → Union City, IN 63m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From Crawfordsville Amtrak 48 mi, ~73m drive

To Connersville Amtrak 42 mi, ~63m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 51m

4h 18m on road

Total Cost

$19

CO2

10 kg

Route

Greyhound US0421

Door-to-Door Timeline

Terre Haute, IN → Terre Haute Greyhound Station (THA6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 258m

Arrival 10m

Dayton Trotwood Bus Station (DAY6) → Union City, IN 58m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From THA6 — Terre Haute Greyhound Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

To DAY6 — Dayton Trotwood Bus Station 39 mi, ~58m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 41m	4h 45m	5h 57m	5h 51m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$126	$20	$19
Carbon footprint	72 kg CO₂	38 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	10 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: Amtrak GTFS, 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

177.7 mi 3h 40m

via I 70; US 40, I 70, US 27

Shortest (+4 min)

175.1 mi 3h 45m

via I 70; US 40, I 69, SR 28

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