Drive or Fly: Berwyn, IL to Pontoon Beach, 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 MDW–STL. At 278 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 13m

Distance

278.8 mi

Total Cost

$97

CO2

113 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$62

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 4m

30m in the air

Air Distance

247 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

63 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Berwyn, IL → MDW 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 30m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

STL → Pontoon Beach, IL 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Berwyn, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

Pontoon Beach, IL STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MDW and STL. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 9m compared to driving

+ 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 44m

4h 39m on rail

Total Cost

$51

CO2

15 kg

Route

Lincoln Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Berwyn, IL → Summit Amtrak 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 279m

Arrival 10m

St. Louis → Pontoon Beach, IL 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $51) $51

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

Stations

From Summit Amtrak 4 mi, ~10m drive

To St. Louis 10 mi, ~15m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~2/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 2 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 47m

5h 55m on road

Total Cost

$29

CO2

15 kg

Route

FlixBus 2510

Door-to-Door Timeline

Berwyn, IL → Chicago Bus Station (CHD6) 12m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 355m

Arrival 10m

St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) → Pontoon Beach, IL 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $29) $29

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

Stations

From CHD6 — Chicago Bus Station 8 mi, ~12m drive

To SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 10 mi, ~15m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− 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	5h 13m	3h 4m	5h 44m	6h 47m
Total cost (1 person)	$97	$185	$51	$29
Carbon footprint	113 kg CO₂	63 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂	15 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 15, 2026.

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