Drive or Fly: Springfield, IL to Burgess, 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 SPI–MLI. At 153 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 10m

Distance

153 mi

Total Cost

$69

CO2

62 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$34

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 58m

13m in the air

Air Distance

106 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

27 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Springfield, IL → SPI 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MLI → Burgess, IL 35m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

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

Burgess, IL MLI — Quad City International Airport 23 mi, ~35m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SPI and MLI. 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 34m

2h 15m on rail

Total Cost

$17

CO2

5 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Springfield, IL → Springfield 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 135m

Arrival 10m

Galesburg Amtrak Station → Burgess, IL 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From Springfield 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Galesburg Amtrak Station 19 mi, ~29m 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	3h 10m	2h 58m	3h 34m
Total cost (1 person)	$69	$124	$17
Carbon footprint	62 kg CO₂	27 kg CO₂	5 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

153 mi 3h 10m

via I 74, I 155, I 55

Shortest (+6 min)

132.6 mi 3h 17m

via IL 125, US 67; IL 100, US 67; IL 110

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