Drive or Fly: Saint Joseph, 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 CMI–SPI. At 97 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 34m

Distance

97.9 mi

Total Cost

$57

CO2

40 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$22

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 41m

11m in the air

Air Distance

88 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

22 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Joseph, IL → CMI 20m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SPI → Springfield, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Saint Joseph, IL CMI — University of Illinois Willard Airport 13 mi, ~20m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CMI 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

2h 21m

1h 30m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

FlixBus N2521

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Joseph, IL → Champaign Intermodal Trans Ctr (CPN6) 16m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 90m

Arrival 10m

Springfield SMTD Transfer Center (SNG6) → Springfield, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From CPN6 — Champaign Intermodal Trans Ctr 11 mi, ~16m drive

To SNG6 — Springfield SMTD Transfer Center 0 mi, ~10m 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	1h 34m	2h 41m	2h 21m
Total cost (1 person)	$57	$124	$8
Carbon footprint	40 kg CO₂	22 kg CO₂	4 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 16, 2026.

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