Drive or Fly: Hamilton, OH to Union City, 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 LUK–DAY. At 65 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 32m

Distance

65.9 mi

Total Cost

$50

CO2

27 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$15

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 36m

7m in the air

Air Distance

57 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

14 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hamilton, OH → LUK 33m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DAY → Union City, OH 56m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Hamilton, OH LUK — Cincinnati Municipal Airport Lunken Field 22 mi, ~33m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LUK 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

4h 8m

1h 55m on rail

Total Cost

$10

CO2

3 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hamilton, OH → Cincinnati Union Terminal 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 115m

Arrival 10m

Connersville Amtrak → Union City, OH 63m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From Cincinnati Union Terminal 20 mi, ~30m drive

To Connersville Amtrak 42 mi, ~63m 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

2h 44m

1h on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0105

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hamilton, OH → Cincinnati Bus Station (CIN) 21m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 60m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From CIN — Cincinnati Bus Station 14 mi, ~21m drive

To DAY6 — Dayton Trotwood Bus Station 38 mi, ~58m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 32m	3h 36m	4h 8m	2h 44m
Total cost (1 person)	$50	$122	$10	$5
Carbon footprint	27 kg CO₂	14 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	2 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 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

65.9 mi 1h 32m

via US 127, SR 49; SR 571

Alternative (+17 min)

78.4 mi 1h 50m

via SR 49, SR 4, SR 49; SR 571

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