Drive or Fly: Bloomington, IL to Waterloo, 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–BLV. At 180 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 27m

Distance

180.8 mi

Total Cost

$75

CO2

73 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$40

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

19m in the air

Air Distance

161 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

41 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bloomington, IL → BMI 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BLV → Waterloo, IL 33m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Bloomington, IL BMI — Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal 4 mi, ~10m drive

Waterloo, IL BLV — Scott AFB/Midamerica Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BMI and BLV. 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

4h 10m

2h 50m on rail

Total Cost

$29

CO2

8 kg

Route

Lincoln Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bloomington, IL → Bloomington-Normal 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 170m

Arrival 10m

St. Louis → Waterloo, IL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $29) $29

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

Stations

From Bloomington-Normal 2 mi, ~10m drive

To St. Louis 20 mi, ~30m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	3h 27m	3h 2m	4h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$75	$126	$29
Carbon footprint	73 kg CO₂	41 kg CO₂	8 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 14, 2026.

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