Drive or Fly: Central City, IL to Bremen, 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 MDW–BLV. At 285 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 40m

Distance

285.7 mi

Total Cost

$98

CO2

115 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$63

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 39m

29m in the air

Air Distance

239 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

61 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Central City, IL → MDW 70m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 29m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BLV → Bremen, IL 60m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Central City, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 47 mi, ~70m drive

Bremen, IL BLV — Scott AFB/Midamerica Airport 40 mi, ~60m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MDW 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

9h 12m

7h 20m on road

Total Cost

$27

CO2

14 kg

Route

FlixBus N2521

Door-to-Door Timeline

Central City, IL → Kankakee (Ricky Rocket Fuel Center) (KKE6) 37m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 440m

Arrival 10m

Carbondale Intermodal Station (CDI6) → Bremen, IL 50m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $27) $27

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

Stations

From KKE6 — Kankakee (Ricky Rocket Fuel Center) 25 mi, ~37m drive

To CDI6 — Carbondale Intermodal Station 34 mi, ~50m 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	5h 40m	4h 39m	9h 12m
Total cost (1 person)	$98	$185	$27
Carbon footprint	115 kg CO₂	61 kg CO₂	14 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 16, 2026.

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