Drive or Fly: Springfield, IL to Red Bud, 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–BLV. At 117 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 29m

Distance

117.6 mi

Total Cost

$61

CO2

48 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$26

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

13m in the air

Air Distance

111 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

28 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Springfield, IL → SPI 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BLV → Red Bud, IL 37m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

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

Red Bud, IL BLV — Scott AFB/Midamerica Airport 25 mi, ~37m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SPI 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 31m

1h 51m on rail

Total Cost

$17

CO2

7 kg

Route

Lincoln Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Springfield, IL → Springfield 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 111m

Arrival 10m

St. Louis → Red Bud, IL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From Springfield 0 mi, ~30m drive

To St. Louis 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 10m

1h 45m on road

Total Cost

$10

CO2

7 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 105m

Arrival 10m

St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) → Red Bud, IL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $10) $10

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

Stations

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

To SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 29m	3h	3h 31m	3h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$61	$124	$17	$10
Carbon footprint	48 kg CO₂	28 kg CO₂	7 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, 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 13, 2026.

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