Drive or Fly: Champaign, IL to Albers, 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 CMI–BLV. At 164 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 11m

Distance

164 mi

Total Cost

$71

CO2

66 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$36

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 44m

16m in the air

Air Distance

131 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

33 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Champaign, IL → CMI 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BLV → Albers, IL 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Champaign, IL CMI — University of Illinois Willard Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

Albers, IL BLV — Scott AFB/Midamerica Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CMI 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

3h 23m

1h 54m on rail

Total Cost

$24

CO2

7 kg

Route

Saluki

Door-to-Door Timeline

Champaign, IL → Champaign-Urbana 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 114m

Arrival 10m

Centralia Amtrak Station → Albers, IL 39m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $24) $24

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

Stations

From Champaign-Urbana 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Centralia Amtrak Station 26 mi, ~39m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 44m

3h 20m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

9 kg

Route

FlixBus N2521

Door-to-Door Timeline

Champaign, IL → Champaign Intermodal Trans Ctr (CPN6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 200m

Arrival 10m

St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) → Albers, IL 49m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From CPN6 — Champaign Intermodal Trans Ctr 0 mi, ~10m drive

To SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 32 mi, ~49m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 11m	2h 44m	3h 23m	4h 44m
Total cost (1 person)	$71	$125	$24	$16
Carbon footprint	66 kg CO₂	33 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	9 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, 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

164 mi 3h 10m

via I 57, US 50, Aviston Road

Alternative (+22 min)

173.5 mi 3h 33m

via US 51, I 72, I 70

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