Drive or Fly: Belleville, IL to Plainfield, 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–DEC. At 133 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 37m

Distance

133.3 mi

Total Cost

$65

CO2

54 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

4h 1m

13m in the air

Air Distance

107 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

27 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Belleville, IL → BLV 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DEC → Plainfield, IL 96m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

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

Plainfield, IL DEC — Decatur Airport 64 mi, ~96m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BLV and DEC. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 9m

3h 13m on road

Total Cost

$18

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US0421

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 193m

Arrival 10m

Terre Haute Greyhound Station (THA6) → Plainfield, IL 70m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

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

To THA6 — Terre Haute Greyhound Station 46 mi, ~70m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 37m	4h 1m	5h 9m
Total cost (1 person)	$65	$124	$18
Carbon footprint	54 kg CO₂	27 kg CO₂	9 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: 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 12, 2026.

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