Drive or Fly: Champaign, IL to Cambria, 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–MWA. At 191 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 37m

Distance

191.6 mi

Total Cost

$78

CO2

77 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$43

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 40m

20m in the air

Air Distance

168 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

43 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Champaign, IL → CMI 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MWA → Cambria, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

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

Cambria, IL MWA — Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CMI and MWA. 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 54m

2h 54m on rail

Total Cost

$35

CO2

10 kg

Route

City of New Orleans

Door-to-Door Timeline

Champaign, IL → Champaign-Urbana 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 174m

Arrival 10m

Carbondale → Cambria, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $35) $35

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

Stations

From Champaign-Urbana 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Carbondale 7 mi, ~10m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 30m

5h 45m on road

Total Cost

$19

CO2

10 kg

Route

FlixBus N2521

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 345m

Arrival 10m

Carbondale Intermodal Station (CDI6) → Cambria, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

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

To CDI6 — Carbondale Intermodal Station 7 mi, ~10m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 37m	2h 40m	3h 54m	6h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$78	$127	$35	$19
Carbon footprint	77 kg CO₂	43 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	10 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 12, 2026.

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