Drive or Fly: Wheaton, IL to Knoxville, 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 ORD–PIA. At 177 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 20m

Distance

177.7 mi

Total Cost

$74

CO2

72 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

3h 29m

16m in the air

Air Distance

131 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

33 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wheaton, IL → ORD 20m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PIA → Knoxville, IL 53m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Wheaton, IL ORD — Chicago O'Hare International Airport 13 mi, ~20m drive

Knoxville, IL PIA — General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport 35 mi, ~53m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORD and PIA. 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 3m

2h 3m on rail

Total Cost

$26

CO2

7 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wheaton, IL → Naperville Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 123m

Arrival 10m

Galesburg Amtrak Station → Knoxville, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From Naperville Amtrak Station 6 mi, ~10m drive

To Galesburg Amtrak Station 5 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 2m

3h 20m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Wheaton, IL → Naperville (Route 59 Metra Station) (NEM6) 12m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 200m

Arrival 10m

Moline Center Station (Metrolink) (MOL6) → Knoxville, IL 65m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From NEM6 — Naperville (Route 59 Metra Station) 8 mi, ~12m drive

To MOL6 — Moline Center Station (Metrolink) 43 mi, ~65m 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	3h 20m	3h 29m	3h 3m	5h 2m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$125	$26	$13
Carbon footprint	72 kg CO₂	33 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

177.7 mi 3h 20m

via I 88; IL 110, IL 110, I 88; IL 92; IL 110

Alternative (+16 min)

184 mi 3h 36m

via I 80, IL 110, I 55

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