Drive or Fly: Peoria, IL to McCullom Lake, 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 PIA–ORD. At 177 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 45m

Distance

177.3 mi

Total Cost

$74

CO2

72 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$39

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 16m

16m in the air

Air Distance

134 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

34 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Peoria, IL → PIA 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ORD → McCullom Lake, IL 50m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Peoria, IL PIA — General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

McCullom Lake, IL ORD — Chicago O'Hare International Airport 34 mi, ~50m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PIA and ORD. 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

4h 48m

2h 40m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US0145S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Peoria, IL → Bloomington (BLL6) 51m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 160m

Arrival 10m

Rockford(East Side Transfer Center) (RFE6) → McCullom Lake, IL 52m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From BLL6 — Bloomington 34 mi, ~51m drive

To RFE6 — Rockford(East Side Transfer Center) 35 mi, ~52m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 45m	3h 16m	4h 48m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$125	$13
Carbon footprint	72 kg CO₂	34 kg CO₂	7 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

177.3 mi 3h 44m

via I 39; US 51, IL 29, US 20

Alternative (+13 min)

199.2 mi 3h 58m

via I 55; US 51, I 74; IL 29, I 355

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