Drive or Fly: Charleston, 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 CMI–MDW. At 188 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 36m

Distance

188 mi

Total Cost

$77

CO2

76 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$42

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 27m

20m in the air

Air Distance

165 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

42 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Charleston, IL → CMI 57m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDW → Chicago, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Charleston, IL CMI — University of Illinois Willard Airport 38 mi, ~57m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CMI 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 32m

3h 26m on rail

Total Cost

$34

CO2

10 kg

Route

Illini

Door-to-Door Timeline

Charleston, IL → Mattoon Amtrak Station 16m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 206m

Arrival 10m

Chicago Union Station → Chicago, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $34) $34

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

Stations

From Mattoon Amtrak Station 11 mi, ~16m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	3h 36m	3h 27m	4h 32m
Total cost (1 person)	$77	$127	$34
Carbon footprint	76 kg CO₂	42 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 — 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 Charleston, IL to Chicago, IL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.