Drive or Fly: Terre Haute, IN to Burlington, 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–LAF. At 125 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 43m

Distance

125 mi

Total Cost

$63

CO2

51 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$28

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 26m

11m in the air

Air Distance

88 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

23 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Terre Haute, IN → CMI 91m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LAF → Burlington, IN 44m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

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

Burlington, IN LAF — Purdue University Airport 29 mi, ~44m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CMI and LAF. 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

3h 11m

38m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Cardinal

Door-to-Door Timeline

Terre Haute, IN → Crawfordsville Amtrak 73m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 38m

Arrival 10m

Lafayette Amtrak Station → Burlington, IN 40m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From Crawfordsville Amtrak 48 mi, ~73m drive

To Lafayette Amtrak Station 27 mi, ~40m 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 43m	4h 26m	3h 11m
Total cost (1 person)	$63	$124	$5
Carbon footprint	51 kg CO₂	23 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 — 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 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

125 mi 2h 43m

via I 70; US 40, US 421, SR 29

Alternative (+5 min)

133.1 mi 2h 48m

via I 70; US 40, I 65, SR 39

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