Drive or Fly: Champaign, IL to Pontoon Beach, 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–STL. At 169 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 9m

Distance

169.7 mi

Total Cost

$72

CO2

69 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$37

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 50m

16m in the air

Air Distance

137 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Champaign, IL → CMI 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

STL → Pontoon Beach, IL 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

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

Pontoon Beach, IL STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CMI and STL. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 10m

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) → Pontoon Beach, IL 15m

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 10 mi, ~15m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 9m	2h 50m	4h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$72	$125	$16
Carbon footprint	69 kg CO₂	35 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: 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

169.7 mi 3h 9m

via I 57, I 70, I 270

Alternative (+1 min)

171.4 mi 3h 10m

via I 72, I 55, I 270

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