Drive or Fly: Calumet City, IL to Columbia, 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 GYY–BLV. At 301 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 42m

Distance

301.7 mi

Total Cost

$102

CO2

122 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$67

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 13m

31m in the air

Air Distance

261 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

66 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Calumet City, IL → GYY 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 31m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BLV → Columbia, IL 32m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Calumet City, IL GYY — Gary/Chicago International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

Columbia, IL BLV — Scott AFB/Midamerica Airport 21 mi, ~32m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 29m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 50m

5h 53m on road

Total Cost

$28

CO2

15 kg

Route

FlixBus N2521

Door-to-Door Timeline

Calumet City, IL → Chicago (95th / Dan Ryan) (CHA6) 13m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 353m

Arrival 10m

St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) → Columbia, IL 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

From CHA6 — Chicago (95th / Dan Ryan) 9 mi, ~13m drive

To SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 13 mi, ~19m 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	5h 42m	3h 13m	6h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$102	$185	$28
Carbon footprint	122 kg CO₂	66 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: 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

301.7 mi 5h 41m

via I 55, I 80, I 255

Alternative (+4 min)

309.5 mi 5h 46m

via I 57, I 70, I 255

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