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

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 39m

Distance

177.1 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

Union City, IN → DAY 56m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CMI → Terre Haute, IN 91m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

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

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DAY and CMI. 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

6h 3m

3h 7m on rail

Total Cost

$20

CO2

6 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Union City, IN → Connersville Amtrak 63m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 187m

Arrival 10m

Crawfordsville Amtrak → Terre Haute, IN 73m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From Connersville Amtrak 42 mi, ~63m drive

To Crawfordsville Amtrak 48 mi, ~73m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~5/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 5 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 6m

4h 33m on road

Total Cost

$19

CO2

10 kg

Route

Greyhound US0421

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 273m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

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

To THA6 — Terre Haute Greyhound Station 0 mi, ~10m 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 39m	4h 45m	6h 3m	6h 6m
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.

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