Drive or Fly: Columbia, IL to York, 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 BLV–CMI. At 182 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 53m

Distance

182.3 mi

Total Cost

$75

CO2

74 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$40

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

4h 33m

18m in the air

Air Distance

147 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Columbia, IL → BLV 32m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CMI → York, IL 103m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Columbia, IL BLV — Scott AFB/Midamerica Airport 21 mi, ~32m drive

York, IL CMI — University of Illinois Willard Airport 69 mi, ~103m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BLV and CMI. 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 33m

3h 13m on road

Total Cost

$18

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US0421

Door-to-Door Timeline

Columbia, IL → St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) 19m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 193m

Arrival 10m

Terre Haute Greyhound Station (THA6) → York, IL 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 13 mi, ~19m drive

To THA6 — Terre Haute Greyhound Station 24 mi, ~36m 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	2h 53m	4h 33m	4h 33m
Total cost (1 person)	$75	$126	$18
Carbon footprint	74 kg CO₂	37 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 15, 2026.

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