Drive or Fly: Milton, IL to Belleville, 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–BLV. At 35 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

50m

Distance

35.2 mi

Total Cost

$43

CO2

14 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$8

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 39m

3m in the air

Air Distance

28 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

7 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Milton, IL → STL 24m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BLV → Belleville, IL 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Milton, IL STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

Belleville, IL BLV — Scott AFB/Midamerica Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between STL 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

1h 57m

46m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Lincoln Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Milton, IL → Alton Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 46m

Arrival 10m

St. Louis → Belleville, IL 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From Alton Amtrak Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

To St. Louis 14 mi, ~21m 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 40m

30m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US1210

Door-to-Door Timeline

Milton, IL → Saint Louis (Lambert Field) (SOL6) 24m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 30m

Arrival 10m

St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) → Belleville, IL 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

From SOL6 — Saint Louis (Lambert Field) 16 mi, ~24m drive

To SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 14 mi, ~21m 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	50m	2h 39m	1h 57m	1h 40m
Total cost (1 person)	$43	$121	$4	$1
Carbon footprint	14 kg CO₂	7 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 14, 2026.

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