Drive or Fly: Waverly, 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 SPI–PIA. At 102 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 1m

Distance

102.1 mi

Total Cost

$58

CO2

41 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$23

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

2h 53m

9m in the air

Air Distance

79 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

20 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Waverly, IL → SPI 34m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PIA → Peoria, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Waverly, IL SPI — Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport 23 mi, ~34m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SPI 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

2h 37m

1h 15m on rail

Total Cost

$12

CO2

4 kg

Route

Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Waverly, IL → Springfield 32m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 75m

Arrival 10m

Peoria Amtrak Station → Peoria, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From Springfield 22 mi, ~32m drive

To Peoria Amtrak Station 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	2h 1m	2h 53m	2h 37m
Total cost (1 person)	$58	$123	$12
Carbon footprint	41 kg CO₂	20 kg CO₂	4 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

102.1 mi 2h 1m

via I 55, I 155, IL 104

Shortest (+4 min)

98.5 mi 2h 6m

via I 155, I 55 Business, IL 4

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