Drive or Fly: Belleville, IL to Goodings Grove, IL?

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 BLV–MDW. At 274 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 10m

Distance

274.3 mi

Total Cost

$96

CO2

111 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$61

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 2m

29m in the air

Air Distance

241 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

61 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Belleville, IL → BLV 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 29m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDW → Goodings Grove, IL 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Belleville, IL BLV — Scott AFB/Midamerica Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

Goodings Grove, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 14 mi, ~21m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BLV and MDW. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 8m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 8m

3h 51m on rail

Total Cost

$46

CO2

13 kg

Route

Lincoln Service Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Belleville, IL → St. Louis 21m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 231m

Arrival 10m

Joliet Gateway Center → Goodings Grove, IL 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $46) $46

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

Stations

From St. Louis 14 mi, ~21m drive

To Joliet Gateway Center 11 mi, ~16m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

7h 20m

6h 8m on road

Total Cost

$28

CO2

15 kg

Route

FlixBus N2521

Door-to-Door Timeline

Belleville, IL → St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) 21m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 368m

Arrival 10m

Chicago (95th / Dan Ryan) (CHA6) → Goodings Grove, IL 26m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

From SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 14 mi, ~21m drive

To CHA6 — Chicago (95th / Dan Ryan) 17 mi, ~26m 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	5h 10m	3h 2m	5h 8m	7h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$96	$185	$46	$28
Carbon footprint	111 kg CO₂	61 kg CO₂	13 kg CO₂	15 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

274.3 mi 5h 10m

via I 55, I 80, IL 159

Alternative (+24 min)

288.9 mi 5h 35m

via I 57, I 70, US 45; US 52

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Belleville, IL to Goodings Grove, IL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.