Drive or Fly: Decatur, IL to Waterloo, 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 DEC–BLV. At 137 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 53m

Distance

137 mi

Total Cost

$65

CO2

55 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$30

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 58m

15m in the air

Air Distance

122 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

31 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Decatur, IL → DEC 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BLV → Waterloo, IL 33m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Decatur, IL DEC — Decatur Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

Waterloo, IL BLV — Scott AFB/Midamerica Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DEC and BLV. 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

4h 19m

2h 24m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

Lincoln Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Decatur, IL → Lincoln Amtrak Station 45m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 144m

Arrival 10m

St. Louis → Waterloo, IL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From Lincoln Amtrak Station 30 mi, ~45m drive

To St. Louis 20 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 35m

1h 45m on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

5 kg

Route

FlixBus N2521

Door-to-Door Timeline

Decatur, IL → Springfield SMTD Transfer Center (SNG6) 55m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 105m

Arrival 10m

St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) → Waterloo, IL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

From SNG6 — Springfield SMTD Transfer Center 37 mi, ~55m drive

To SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 20 mi, ~30m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 53m	2h 58m	4h 19m	3h 35m
Total cost (1 person)	$65	$125	$23	$10
Carbon footprint	55 kg CO₂	31 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	5 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 13, 2026.

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