Drive or Fly: Carlinville, 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 SPI–MDW. At 243 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 45m

Distance

243.3 mi

Total Cost

$89

CO2

98 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$54

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 37m

26m in the air

Air Distance

213 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

54 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Carlinville, IL → SPI 61m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 26m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDW → Chicago, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Carlinville, IL SPI — Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport 41 mi, ~61m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SPI 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 54m

3h 54m on rail

Total Cost

$43

CO2

12 kg

Route

Lincoln Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Carlinville, IL → Carlinville Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 234m

Arrival 10m

Chicago Union Station → Chicago, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $43) $43

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

Stations

From Carlinville Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m 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

5h 42m

4h 10m on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

10 kg

Route

FlixBus 2510

Door-to-Door Timeline

Carlinville, IL → Springfield SMTD Transfer Center (SNG6) 57m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 250m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From SNG6 — Springfield SMTD Transfer Center 38 mi, ~57m 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	4h 45m	3h 37m	4h 54m	5h 42m
Total cost (1 person)	$89	$184	$43	$20
Carbon footprint	98 kg CO₂	54 kg CO₂	12 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

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 13, 2026.

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