Drive or Fly: Bloomington, IL to Lake Catherine, 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 BMI–MKE. At 172 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 32m

Distance

172.2 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

70 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$38

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 19m

17m in the air

Air Distance

145 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bloomington, IL → BMI 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MKE → Lake Catherine, IL 52m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Bloomington, IL BMI — Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal 4 mi, ~10m drive

Lake Catherine, IL MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 35 mi, ~52m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BMI and MKE. 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

5h 5m

3h 45m on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US0145S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bloomington, IL → Bloomington-Normal (BLL6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 225m

Arrival 10m

Elgin IL (ELG6) → Lake Catherine, IL 45m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From BLL6 — Bloomington-Normal 2 mi, ~10m drive

To ELG6 — Elgin IL 30 mi, ~45m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 32m	3h 19m	5h 5m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$126	$12
Carbon footprint	70 kg CO₂	37 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: 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 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

172.2 mi 3h 31m

via I 55, I 355, US 12

Alternative (+5 min)

181.9 mi 3h 37m

via I 39; US 51, IL 173, I 39; I 90; US 51

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