Drive or Fly: Portage, IN to Van Buren, 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 GYY–FWA. At 138 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 17m

Distance

138.1 mi

Total Cost

$65

CO2

56 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$30

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 17m

13m in the air

Air Distance

109 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

28 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Portage, IN → GYY 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FWA → Van Buren, IN 45m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Portage, IN GYY — Gary/Chicago International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

Van Buren, IN FWA — Fort Wayne International Airport 30 mi, ~45m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between GYY and FWA. 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 17m	3h 17m
Total cost (1 person)	$65	$124
Carbon footprint	56 kg CO₂	28 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 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

138.1 mi 3h 16m

via US 30; SR 2, US 31, West 1000 North

Shortest (+2 min)

137 mi 3h 18m

via US 30; SR 2, SR 5, SR 5; SR 14

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Portage, IN to Van Buren, IN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.