Drive or Fly: Champaign, IL to Garden Plain, 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–MLI. At 202 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 53m

Distance

202.9 mi

Total Cost

$80

CO2

82 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$45

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 15m

18m in the air

Air Distance

152 mi

Total Cost

$181

CO2

39 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Champaign, IL → CMI 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MLI → Garden Plain, IL 47m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Garden Plain, IL MLI — Quad City International Airport 31 mi, ~47m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CMI and MLI. 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	3h 53m	3h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$80	$181
Carbon footprint	82 kg CO₂	39 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

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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

202.9 mi 3h 52m

via I 74, IL 84, I 474

Shortest (+6 min)

194.8 mi 3h 59m

via US 51, I 74, US 52

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