Drive or Fly: York, IL to Charleston, 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–CMI. At 57 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 30m

Distance

57.3 mi

Total Cost

$48

CO2

23 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$13

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 44m

4m in the air

Air Distance

36 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

9 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

York, IL → CMI 103m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CMI → Charleston, IL 57m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

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

Charleston, IL CMI — University of Illinois Willard Airport 38 mi, ~57m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CMI 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 10m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0421

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 70m

Arrival 10m

Effingham (EFF6) → Charleston, IL 49m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

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

To EFF6 — Effingham 33 mi, ~49m 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	1h 30m	4h 44m	3h
Total cost (1 person)	$48	$121	$7
Carbon footprint	23 kg CO₂	9 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: 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.

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