Drive or Fly: Chatham, 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 SPI–MDW. At 173 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 14m

Distance

173.1 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

70 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$38

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 13m

18m in the air

Air Distance

153 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

39 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chatham, IL → SPI 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDW → Joliet, IL 37m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Chatham, IL SPI — Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 4m

2h on rail

Total Cost

$29

CO2

8 kg

Route

Lincoln Service Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chatham, IL → Springfield 14m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 120m

Arrival 10m

Joliet Gateway Center → Joliet, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $29) $29

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

Stations

From Springfield 9 mi, ~14m drive

To Joliet Gateway Center 0 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 14m	3h 13m	3h 4m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$126	$29
Carbon footprint	70 kg CO₂	39 kg CO₂	8 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 17, 2026.

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