Drive or Fly: Champaign, IL to Altamont, 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–DEC. At 92 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 45m

Distance

92 mi

Total Cost

$55

CO2

37 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$20

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 40m

9m in the air

Air Distance

78 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

20 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Champaign, IL → CMI 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DEC → Altamont, IL 81m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

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

Altamont, IL DEC — Decatur Airport 54 mi, ~81m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CMI and DEC. 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

2h 12m

1h 5m on rail

Total Cost

$14

CO2

4 kg

Route

City of New Orleans

Door-to-Door Timeline

Champaign, IL → Champaign-Urbana 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 65m

Arrival 10m

Effingham Amtrak Station → Altamont, IL 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $14) $14

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

Stations

From Champaign-Urbana 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Effingham Amtrak Station 11 mi, ~17m 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	1h 45m	3h 40m	2h 12m
Total cost (1 person)	$55	$123	$14
Carbon footprint	37 kg CO₂	20 kg CO₂	4 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 12, 2026.

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