Drive or Fly: Wellston, OH to Kettering, 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 LCK–DAY. At 114 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 19m

Distance

114 mi

Total Cost

$60

CO2

46 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$25

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 52m

11m in the air

Air Distance

96 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

24 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wellston, OH → LCK 78m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DAY → Kettering, OH 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Wellston, OH LCK — Rickenbacker International Airport 52 mi, ~78m drive

Kettering, OH DAY — James M. Cox Dayton International Airport 15 mi, ~23m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LCK 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 15m

2h 34m on rail

Total Cost

$18

CO2

5 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wellston, OH → South Portsmouth Amtrak 54m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 154m

Arrival 10m

Cincinnati Union Terminal → Kettering, OH 67m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From South Portsmouth Amtrak 36 mi, ~54m drive

To Cincinnati Union Terminal 45 mi, ~67m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	2h 19m	3h 52m	5h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$60	$124	$18
Carbon footprint	46 kg CO₂	24 kg CO₂	5 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 — 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 12, 2026.

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