We live near Boston. To fly to UIUC, Flighthub recommends connecting flights from Charlotte. There are many flights from Boston to Chicago O’Hare. Other than driving, how do students from around Chicago get to UIUC?
Shuttle service, many per day, for about 25$ each way. Service is not without some controversy for some questionable customer relations, but it is the principal method our D uses to visit home (Easter this weekend for example). Google Illini Shuttle. It has been reliable for our D. Takes 2 1/2 hours.
Generally I take Amtrak to Union Station and then transfer to a Metra commuter train.
For getting to the airports, Take Amtrak or Peoria Charter to Chicago, or fly to O’Hare if you’re connecting to a different flight.
Amtrak can be cheaper but requires taking the Blue Line from Union Station to the airport while Peoria goes right to the airport.
(Don’t use SubEx/Illini Shuttle the owner is extremely anti-Asian and anti-semitic)
You can fly to Champaign thru DFW or ORD on United and American. For getting from Chicago to Champaign specifically, Amtrak or shuttle. And if you do choose a shuttle service, Peoria Charter is the way to go. Slightly more expensive than Illini Shuttle but way less shady.
Peoria Charter Coach. Good overall value, reliable, no surprises. Good customer service, too.
We too have been looking into this since my Son is considering the Grainger Engineering School and we are in California. I also looked into flying into Champaign. Nobody seems to go that route…is it that the cost seems higher and the time frame the same (given layover for connecting flight)? I did a sample round trip from SFO and the flight into Champaign was about the same as the cost of flight +Peoria Charter.
We went this weekend for Illini day. Flew to OHare and car rental 50$ a day with tax etc. I guess if D comes alone shuttle is best.