Drive or Fly: Melville, IL to Nameoki, 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–STL. At 20 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

29m

Distance

20.8 mi

Total Cost

$40

CO2

8 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

2h 44m

2m in the air

Air Distance

16 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Melville, IL → STL 22m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

STL → Nameoki, IL 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Melville, IL STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 15 mi, ~22m drive

Nameoki, IL STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 13 mi, ~20m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between STL and STL. 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

1h 49m

46m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Lincoln Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Melville, IL → Alton Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 46m

Arrival 10m

St. Louis → Nameoki, IL 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From Alton Amtrak Station 5 mi, ~10m drive

To St. Louis 8 mi, ~13m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 30m

30m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US1210

Door-to-Door Timeline

Melville, IL → Saint Louis (Lambert Field) (SOL6) 22m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 30m

Arrival 10m

St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) → Nameoki, IL 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

From SOL6 — Saint Louis (Lambert Field) 15 mi, ~22m drive

To SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 8 mi, ~13m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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

− Limited schedule — about 8 trips per week

− 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	29m	2h 44m	1h 49m	1h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$40	$121	$4	$1
Carbon footprint	8 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	1 kg CO₂	1 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

20.8 mi 28m

via IL 3, IL 100, IL 143

Alternative (+7 min)

23.6 mi 35m

via IL 100, IL 143, IL 3

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