Drive or Fly: Chicago, IL to Chatsworth, 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 MDW–BMI. At 101 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 4m

Distance

101.2 mi

Total Cost

$57

CO2

41 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$22

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 17m

10m in the air

Air Distance

83 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

21 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chicago, IL → MDW 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BMI → Chatsworth, IL 57m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

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

Chatsworth, IL BMI — Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal 38 mi, ~57m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MDW and BMI. 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 15m

1h 35m on rail

Total Cost

$16

CO2

6 kg

Route

Illini

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chicago, IL → Chicago Union Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 95m

Arrival 10m

Gilman Amtrak → Chatsworth, IL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $16) $16

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

Stations

From Chicago Union Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Gilman Amtrak 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

2h 55m

1h 30m on road

Total Cost

CO2

6 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 90m

Arrival 10m

Kankakee (Ricky Rocket Fuel Center) (KKE6) → Chatsworth, IL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From CHD6 — Chicago Bus Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To KKE6 — Kankakee (Ricky Rocket Fuel Center) 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	2h 4m	3h 17m	3h 15m	2h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$57	$123	$16	$6
Carbon footprint	41 kg CO₂	21 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	6 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 16, 2026.

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