Drive or Fly: Chicago, IL to Saint Rose, 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–BLV. At 286 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 26m

Distance

286 mi

Total Cost

$98

CO2

116 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$63

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 6m

29m in the air

Air Distance

241 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

61 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chicago, IL → MDW 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 29m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BLV → Saint Rose, IL 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Saint Rose, IL BLV — Scott AFB/Midamerica Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MDW and BLV. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 20m compared to driving

+ 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

5h 56m

4h 28m on rail

Total Cost

$49

CO2

14 kg

Route

Saluki

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chicago, IL → Chicago Union Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 268m

Arrival 10m

Centralia Amtrak Station → Saint Rose, IL 38m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $49) $49

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

Stations

From Chicago Union Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

To Centralia Amtrak Station 25 mi, ~38m 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

7h 23m

5h 55m on road

Total Cost

$29

CO2

15 kg

Route

FlixBus 2510

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 355m

Arrival 10m

St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) → Saint Rose, IL 53m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $29) $29

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

Stations

From CHD6 — Chicago Bus Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

To SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 35 mi, ~53m 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	5h 26m	3h 6m	5h 56m	7h 23m
Total cost (1 person)	$98	$185	$49	$29
Carbon footprint	116 kg CO₂	61 kg CO₂	14 kg CO₂	15 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 15, 2026.

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