Drive or Fly: Mount Vernon, IL to Bonnie, 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 MWA–MWA. At 8 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

14m

Distance

8 mi

Total Cost

$37

CO2

3 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$2

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

3h 48m

1m in the air

Air Distance

8 mi

Total Cost

$120

CO2

2 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Vernon, IL → MWA 59m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 1m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MWA → Bonnie, IL 48m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $120) $120

Airports

Mount Vernon, IL MWA — Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois 40 mi, ~59m drive

Bonnie, IL MWA — Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois 32 mi, ~48m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MWA and MWA. 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 16m

33m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Illini

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Vernon, IL → Centralia Amtrak Station 29m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 33m

Arrival 10m

Du Quoin Amtrak Station → Bonnie, IL 34m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From Centralia Amtrak Station 19 mi, ~29m drive

To Du Quoin Amtrak Station 23 mi, ~34m 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	14m	3h 48m	2h 16m
Total cost (1 person)	$37	$120	$7
Carbon footprint	3 kg CO₂	2 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 15, 2026.

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