Drive or Fly: Grant Park, IL to York, 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 GYY–CMI. At 174 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 57m

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

4h 43m

17m in the air

Air Distance

143 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

36 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Grant Park, IL → GYY 43m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CMI → York, IL 103m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Grant Park, IL GYY — Gary/Chicago International Airport 29 mi, ~43m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between GYY 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 45m

2h 5m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

10 kg

Route

Saluki

Door-to-Door Timeline

Grant Park, IL → Kankakee 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 125m

Arrival 10m

Mattoon Amtrak Station → York, IL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From Kankakee 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Mattoon Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m 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 57m	4h 43m	3h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$126	$23
Carbon footprint	70 kg CO₂	36 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 — 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.

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