Drive or Fly: Salem, IL to Champaign, 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 BLV–CMI. At 123 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 55m

Distance

123.5 mi

Total Cost

$62

CO2

50 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$27

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 36m

13m in the air

Air Distance

110 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

28 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Salem, IL → BLV 73m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CMI → Champaign, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Salem, IL BLV — Scott AFB/Midamerica Airport 48 mi, ~73m drive

Champaign, IL CMI — University of Illinois Willard Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BLV and CMI. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 6m

1h 57m on rail

Total Cost

$24

CO2

7 kg

Route

Illini

Door-to-Door Timeline

Salem, IL → Centralia Amtrak Station 19m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 117m

Arrival 10m

Champaign-Urbana → Champaign, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $24) $24

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

Stations

From Centralia Amtrak Station 12 mi, ~19m drive

To Champaign-Urbana 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	1h 55m	3h 36m	3h 6m
Total cost (1 person)	$62	$124	$24
Carbon footprint	50 kg CO₂	28 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: Amtrak 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 Salem, IL to Champaign, IL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.