Drive or Fly: King, IL to Patterson, 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 STL–UIN. At 21 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

58m

Distance

21.6 mi

Total Cost

$40

CO2

9 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$5

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 9m

2m in the air

Air Distance

18 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

5 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

King, IL → STL 53m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

UIN → Patterson, IL 74m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

King, IL STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 35 mi, ~53m drive

Patterson, IL UIN — Quincy Regional Airport Baldwin Field 50 mi, ~74m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between STL and UIN. 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

2h 44m

25m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Lincoln Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

King, IL → Alton Amtrak Station 47m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 25m

Arrival 10m

Carlinville Amtrak Station → Patterson, IL 52m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From Alton Amtrak Station 31 mi, ~47m drive

To Carlinville Amtrak Station 35 mi, ~52m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	58m	4h 9m	2h 44m
Total cost (1 person)	$40	$121	$6
Carbon footprint	9 kg CO₂	5 kg CO₂	2 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 — 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

21.6 mi 58m

via River Road

Alternative (+1 min)

29.1 mi 59m

via US 67, IL 108

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