Drive or Fly: Carbon Cliff, 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 MLI–MDW. At 161 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 6m

Distance

161.5 mi

Total Cost

$71

CO2

65 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$36

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 37m

17m in the air

Air Distance

144 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Carbon Cliff, IL → MLI 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDW → Chicago, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Carbon Cliff, IL MLI — Quad City International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MLI 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 6m

2h 26m on rail

Total Cost

$25

CO2

9 kg

Route

Illinois Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Carbon Cliff, IL → Kewanee Amtrak Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 146m

Arrival 10m

Chicago Union Station → Chicago, IL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $25) $25

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

Stations

From Kewanee Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Chicago Union Station 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

5h 38m

4h 13m on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

9 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Carbon Cliff, IL → Moline Center Station (Metrolink) (MOL6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 253m

Arrival 10m

Chicago Bus Station (CHD6) → Chicago, IL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From MOL6 — Moline Center Station (Metrolink) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To CHD6 — Chicago Bus Station 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	3h 6m	2h 37m	4h 6m	5h 38m
Total cost (1 person)	$71	$126	$25	$17
Carbon footprint	65 kg CO₂	37 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	9 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 17, 2026.

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