Drive or Fly: Riverdale, IL to Springfield, 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 GYY–SPI. At 190 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 39m

Distance

190.1 mi

Total Cost

$77

CO2

77 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$42

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 47m

20m in the air

Air Distance

165 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

42 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Riverdale, IL → GYY 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SPI → Springfield, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Riverdale, IL GYY — Gary/Chicago International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

Springfield, IL SPI — Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between GYY and SPI. 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

5h 28m

4h 3m on road

Total Cost

$19

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Riverdale, IL → Chicago (95th / Dan Ryan) (CHA6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 243m

Arrival 10m

Springfield SMTD Transfer Center (SNG6) → Springfield, IL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From CHA6 — Chicago (95th / Dan Ryan) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To SNG6 — Springfield SMTD Transfer Center 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− 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 39m	2h 47m	5h 28m
Total cost (1 person)	$77	$127	$19
Carbon footprint	77 kg CO₂	42 kg CO₂	11 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

190.1 mi 3h 39m

via I 55, I 80, I 57

Alternative (+7 min)

199.9 mi 3h 46m

via I 57, I 72

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