Drive or Fly: Macomb, IL to Peoria, 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 BRL–PIA. At 75 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 48m

Distance

75.5 mi

Total Cost

$52

CO2

31 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$17

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 6m

7m in the air

Air Distance

59 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

15 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Macomb, IL → BRL 49m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PIA → Peoria, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Macomb, IL BRL — Southeast Iowa Regional Airport 33 mi, ~49m drive

Peoria, IL PIA — General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BRL 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 43m

2h 30m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US0157S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Macomb, IL → Burlington IA (FastBrake) (BIA6) 57m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 150m

Arrival 10m

Bloomington-Normal (BLL6) → Peoria, IL 51m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From BIA6 — Burlington IA (FastBrake) 38 mi, ~57m drive

To BLL6 — Bloomington-Normal 34 mi, ~51m 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	1h 48m	3h 6m	4h 43m
Total cost (1 person)	$52	$122	$13
Carbon footprint	31 kg CO₂	15 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

75.5 mi 1h 48m

via US 136, US 24; IL 9, US 24; IL 78

Alternative (+5 min)

77.6 mi 1h 53m

via IL 116, US 67; IL 110

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