Drive or Fly: Albers, IL to Markham, 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 BLV–MDW. At 274 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 21m

Distance

274.7 mi

Total Cost

$96

CO2

111 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$61

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

28m in the air

Air Distance

234 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

60 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Albers, IL → BLV 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 28m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDW → Markham, IL 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Albers, IL BLV — Scott AFB/Midamerica Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

Markham, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 14 mi, ~20m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BLV and MDW. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 27m

3h 47m on rail

Total Cost

$45

CO2

16 kg

Route

Illini

Door-to-Door Timeline

Albers, IL → Centralia Amtrak Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 227m

Arrival 10m

Homewood → Markham, IL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $45) $45

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

Stations

From Centralia Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Homewood 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

7h 33m

6h 8m on road

Total Cost

$28

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Albers, IL → St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 368m

Arrival 10m

Chicago (95th / Dan Ryan) (CHA6) → Markham, IL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

From SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To CHA6 — Chicago (95th / Dan Ryan) 0 mi, ~30m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	4h 21m	3h 6m	5h 27m	7h 33m
Total cost (1 person)	$96	$184	$45	$28
Carbon footprint	111 kg CO₂	60 kg CO₂	16 kg CO₂	16 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, 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 13, 2026.

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