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Drive or Fly: Aurora, IL to South Shore, 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 ORD–MDW. At 51 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 12m

Distance

51.3 mi

Total Cost

$46

CO2

21 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$11
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 58m

5m in the air

Air Distance

38 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

10 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Aurora, IL → ORD 39m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 5m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
MDW → South Shore, IL 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Aurora, IL ORD — Chicago O'Hare International Airport 26 mi, ~39m drive
South Shore, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORD 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
Luggage fees and restrictions
Less flexibility for stops along the way

At a Glance

Drive Fly
Door-to-door time 1h 12m 2h 58m
Total cost (1 person) $46 $122
Carbon footprint 21 kg CO2 10 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
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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest
51.3 mi 1h 11m

via I 88; IL 110, I 290; IL 110, I 90; I 94

Shortest (+4 min)
51.1 mi 1h 16m

via I 88; IL 110, I 294, West 79th Street

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