Drive or Fly: Oak Park, 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 MDW–BLV. At 289 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 34m

Distance

289.2 mi

Total Cost

$99

CO2

117 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$64

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 54m

31m in the air

Air Distance

260 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

66 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oak Park, IL → MDW 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 31m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BLV → Belleville, IL 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Oak Park, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MDW and BLV. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 40m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 50m

4h 39m on rail

Total Cost

$51

CO2

15 kg

Route

Lincoln Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oak Park, IL → Summit Amtrak 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 279m

Arrival 10m

St. Louis → Belleville, IL 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $51) $51

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

Stations

From Summit Amtrak 6 mi, ~10m drive

To St. Louis 14 mi, ~21m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 52m

5h 55m on road

Total Cost

$29

CO2

15 kg

Route

FlixBus 2510

Door-to-Door Timeline

Oak Park, IL → Chicago Bus Station (CHD6) 11m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 355m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $29) $29

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

Stations

From CHD6 — Chicago Bus Station 7 mi, ~11m drive

To SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 14 mi, ~21m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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 7 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	5h 34m	2h 54m	5h 50m	6h 52m
Total cost (1 person)	$99	$185	$51	$29
Carbon footprint	117 kg CO₂	66 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂	15 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 13, 2026.

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