Drive or Fly: York, IL to Carbondale, 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 CMI–MWA. At 184 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 45m

Distance

184 mi

Total Cost

$76

CO2

74 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$41

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

4h 16m

16m in the air

Air Distance

131 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

33 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

York, IL → CMI 103m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MWA → Carbondale, IL 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

York, IL CMI — University of Illinois Willard Airport 69 mi, ~103m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CMI and MWA. 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

4h 9m

2h 12m on rail

Total Cost

$26

CO2

8 kg

Route

Illini

Door-to-Door Timeline

York, IL → Mattoon Amtrak Station 67m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 132m

Arrival 10m

Carbondale → Carbondale, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From Mattoon Amtrak Station 45 mi, ~67m drive

To Carbondale 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	3h 45m	4h 16m	4h 9m
Total cost (1 person)	$76	$125	$26
Carbon footprint	74 kg CO₂	33 kg CO₂	8 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 12, 2026.

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