Drive or Fly: Carbon Cliff, IL to Joliet, 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 130 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 27m

Distance

130.5 mi

Total Cost

$64

CO2

53 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$29

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 1m

14m in the air

Air Distance

119 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

30 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Carbon Cliff, IL → MLI 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDW → Joliet, IL 37m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

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

Joliet, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 25 mi, ~37m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 26m

3h 23m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Carbon Cliff, IL → Moline Center Station (Metrolink) (MOL6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 203m

Arrival 10m

Naperville (Route 59 Metra Station) (NEM6) → Joliet, IL 28m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From MOL6 — Moline Center Station (Metrolink) 7 mi, ~10m drive

To NEM6 — Naperville (Route 59 Metra Station) 19 mi, ~28m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 27m	3h 1m	4h 26m
Total cost (1 person)	$64	$125	$13
Carbon footprint	53 kg CO₂	30 kg CO₂	7 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: 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 Carbon Cliff, IL to Joliet, IL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.