Drive or Fly: Quincy, IL to Columbia, 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 UIN–BLV. At 143 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 4m

Distance

143.9 mi

Total Cost

$67

CO2

58 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$32

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 4m

15m in the air

Air Distance

122 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

31 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Quincy, IL → UIN 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BLV → Columbia, IL 32m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Quincy, IL UIN — Quincy Regional Airport Baldwin Field 11 mi, ~17m drive

Columbia, IL BLV — Scott AFB/Midamerica Airport 21 mi, ~32m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between UIN 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	3h 4m	3h 4m
Total cost (1 person)	$67	$125
Carbon footprint	58 kg CO₂	31 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

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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

143.9 mi 3h 4m

via US 61, I 270, IL 57

Alternative (+21 min)

173 mi 3h 26m

via I 72; US 36, US 67, I 255

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