Drive or Fly: Cairo, IL to York, 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 PAH–CMI. At 224 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 25m

Distance

224.4 mi

Total Cost

$85

CO2

91 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$50

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 38m

21m in the air

Air Distance

171 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

44 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cairo, IL → PAH 34m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CMI → York, IL 103m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Cairo, IL PAH — Barkley Regional Airport 23 mi, ~34m drive

York, IL CMI — University of Illinois Willard Airport 69 mi, ~103m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PAH 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

7h 8m

4h 26m on rail

Total Cost

$41

CO2

12 kg

Route

City of New Orleans

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cairo, IL → Fulton Amtrak Station 55m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 266m

Arrival 10m

Mattoon Amtrak Station → York, IL 67m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $41) $41

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

Stations

From Fulton Amtrak Station 37 mi, ~55m drive

To Mattoon Amtrak Station 45 mi, ~67m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 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	4h 25m	4h 38m	7h 8m
Total cost (1 person)	$85	$182	$41
Carbon footprint	91 kg CO₂	44 kg CO₂	12 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

224.4 mi 4h 24m

via I 57; US 51, I 57, I 70

Shortest (+12 min)

222.7 mi 4h 37m

via I 57; US 51, US 50, IL 1

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