Drive or Fly: Bloomington, IL to Atwood, 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 BMI–CMI. At 70 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 37m

Distance

70.5 mi

Total Cost

$51

CO2

28 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$16
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 46m

7m in the air

Air Distance

55 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

14 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bloomington, IL → BMI 10m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 7m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
CMI → Atwood, IL 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Bloomington, IL BMI — Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal 4 mi, ~10m drive
Atwood, IL CMI — University of Illinois Willard Airport 19 mi, ~29m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BMI and CMI. 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

2h 7m

55m on road

Total Cost

$5

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0145S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bloomington, IL → Bloomington (BLL6) 10m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 55m
Arrival 10m
Champaign Intermodal Trans Ctr (CPN6) → Atwood, IL 37m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From BLL6 — Bloomington 2 mi, ~10m drive
To CPN6 — Champaign Intermodal Trans Ctr 25 mi, ~37m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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
Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week
Travel time longer than driving
Need transportation to/from station
Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

Drive Fly Bus
Door-to-door time 1h 37m 2h 46m 2h 7m
Total cost (1 person) $51 $122 $5
Carbon footprint 28 kg CO2 14 kg CO2 3 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 Bloomington, IL to Atwood, IL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.