Drive or Fly: Buena Vista, IL to Chicago, 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 MWA–MDW. At 338 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

6h 20m

Distance

338.2 mi

Total Cost

$110

CO2

137 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$75

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 21m

35m in the air

Air Distance

288 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

74 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Buena Vista, IL → MWA 36m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 35m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDW → Chicago, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Buena Vista, IL MWA — Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois 24 mi, ~36m drive

Chicago, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 59m 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

7h 13m

5h 30m on rail

Total Cost

$60

CO2

17 kg

Route

Illini

Door-to-Door Timeline

Buena Vista, IL → Carbondale 53m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 330m

Arrival 10m

Chicago Union Station → Chicago, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $60) $60

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

Stations

From Carbondale 35 mi, ~53m drive

To Chicago Union Station 2 mi, ~10m 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

10h 58m

9h 30m on road

Total Cost

$33

CO2

17 kg

Route

FlixBus N2521

Door-to-Door Timeline

Buena Vista, IL → Carbondale Intermodal Station (CDI6) 53m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 570m

Arrival 10m

Chicago Bus Station (CHD6) → Chicago, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $33) $33

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

Stations

From CDI6 — Carbondale Intermodal Station 35 mi, ~53m drive

To CHD6 — Chicago Bus Station 2 mi, ~10m 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	6h 20m	3h 21m	7h 13m	10h 58m
Total cost (1 person)	$110	$187	$60	$33
Carbon footprint	137 kg CO₂	74 kg CO₂	17 kg CO₂	17 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 12, 2026.

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