Drive or Fly: Lake of the Woods, IL to Springfield, 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–SPI. At 83 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 39m

Distance

83.7 mi

Total Cost

$54

CO2

34 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$19

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 38m

9m in the air

Air Distance

73 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

19 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake of the Woods, IL → CMI 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SPI → Springfield, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Lake of the Woods, IL CMI — University of Illinois Willard Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

Springfield, IL SPI — Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CMI and SPI. 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

2h 19m

1h 30m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

FlixBus N2521

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake of the Woods, IL → Champaign Intermodal Trans Ctr (CPN6) 14m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 90m

Arrival 10m

Springfield SMTD Transfer Center (SNG6) → Springfield, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From CPN6 — Champaign Intermodal Trans Ctr 9 mi, ~14m drive

To SNG6 — Springfield SMTD Transfer Center 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	1h 39m	2h 38m	2h 19m
Total cost (1 person)	$54	$123	$8
Carbon footprint	34 kg CO₂	19 kg CO₂	4 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Lake of the Woods, IL to Springfield, IL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.