Drive or Fly: York, IL to Pontoon Beach, 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–STL. At 154 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 9m

Distance

154.2 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

4h 23m

16m in the air

Air Distance

135 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

34 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

York, IL → CMI 103m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

STL → Pontoon Beach, IL 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

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

Pontoon Beach, IL STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CMI and STL. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 31m

3h 15m on road

Total Cost

$18

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US0421

Door-to-Door Timeline

York, IL → Terre Haute Greyhound Station (THA6) 36m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 195m

Arrival 10m

St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) → Pontoon Beach, IL 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From THA6 — Terre Haute Greyhound Station 24 mi, ~36m drive

To SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 10 mi, ~15m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 9m	4h 23m	4h 31m
Total cost (1 person)	$69	$125	$18
Carbon footprint	62 kg CO₂	34 kg CO₂	9 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: 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 15, 2026.

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