Drive or Fly: Fairview Heights, IL to Champaign, 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 172 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 17m

Distance

172.5 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

70 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$38

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

17m in the air

Air Distance

141 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

36 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fairview Heights, IL → BLV 13m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CMI → Champaign, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Fairview Heights, IL BLV — Scott AFB/Midamerica Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

Champaign, IL CMI — University of Illinois Willard Airport 6 mi, ~10m 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 26m

3h 33m on road

Total Cost

$16

CO2

9 kg

Route

FlixBus N2521

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fairview Heights, IL → St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) 18m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 213m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 12 mi, ~18m drive

To CPN6 — Champaign Intermodal Trans Ctr 0 mi, ~10m 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 17m	2h 40m	4h 26m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$126	$16
Carbon footprint	70 kg CO₂	36 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

172.5 mi 3h 17m

via I 70, I 57, IL 159

Alternative (+2 min)

174.3 mi 3h 19m

via I 55, I 72; US 51, I 72; US 36

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