Drive or Fly: West Frankfort, 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 MWA–CMI. At 174 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 13m

Distance

174.5 mi

Total Cost

$74

CO2

70 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$39

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 46m

19m in the air

Air Distance

158 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

40 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Frankfort, IL → MWA 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CMI → Champaign, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

West Frankfort, IL MWA — Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois 11 mi, ~17m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MWA 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 47m

2h 29m on rail

Total Cost

$31

CO2

9 kg

Route

Illini

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Frankfort, IL → Du Quoin Amtrak Station 28m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 149m

Arrival 10m

Champaign-Urbana → Champaign, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $31) $31

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

Stations

From Du Quoin Amtrak Station 19 mi, ~28m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

7h 14m

6h 10m on road

Total Cost

$19

CO2

10 kg

Route

FlixBus N2521

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Frankfort, IL → Carbondale Intermodal Station (CDI6) 29m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 370m

Arrival 10m

Champaign Intermodal Trans Ctr (CPN6) → Champaign, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From CDI6 — Carbondale Intermodal Station 20 mi, ~29m drive

To CPN6 — Champaign Intermodal Trans Ctr 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− 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	3h 13m	2h 46m	3h 47m	7h 14m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$126	$31	$19
Carbon footprint	70 kg CO₂	40 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	10 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 West Frankfort, IL to Champaign, IL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.