Drive or Fly: Belleville, IL to Woodlawn, 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 293 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 36m

Distance

293.7 mi

Total Cost

$100

CO2

119 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$65

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

2h 55m

31m in the air

Air Distance

258 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

66 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Belleville, IL → BLV 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 31m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDW → Woodlawn, IL 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Woodlawn, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 41m 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

6h 13m

5h 1m on rail

Total Cost

$52

CO2

15 kg

Route

Lincoln Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Belleville, IL → St. Louis 21m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 301m

Arrival 10m

Chicago Union Station → Woodlawn, IL 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $52) $52

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

Stations

From St. Louis 14 mi, ~21m drive

To Chicago Union Station 7 mi, ~11m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

7h 4m

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) → Woodlawn, IL 10m

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) 4 mi, ~10m 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 36m	2h 55m	6h 13m	7h 4m
Total cost (1 person)	$100	$185	$52	$28
Carbon footprint	119 kg CO₂	66 kg CO₂	15 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

293.7 mi 5h 35m

via I 55, I 80, I 57

Alternative (+5 min)

302.2 mi 5h 41m

via I 57, I 70, IL 159

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