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Drive or Fly: Cicero, IL to Antioch, 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–MKE. At 56 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 19m

Distance

56.5 mi

Total Cost

$47

CO2

23 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$12
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 7m

6m in the air

Air Distance

47 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

12 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cicero, IL → MDW 10m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 6m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
MKE → Antioch, IL 51m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Cicero, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive
Antioch, IL MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 34 mi, ~51m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MDW and MKE. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 6m

1h 40m on road

Total Cost

$8

CO2

4 kg

Route

FlixBus 2548

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cicero, IL → Chicago Bus Station (CHD6) 10m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 100m
Arrival 10m
Milwaukee Mitchell Airport (5MK) → Antioch, IL 51m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From CHD6 — Chicago Bus Station 6 mi, ~10m drive
To 5MK — Milwaukee Mitchell Airport 34 mi, ~51m 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 Bus
Door-to-door time 1h 19m 3h 7m 3h 6m
Total cost (1 person) $47 $122 $8
Carbon footprint 23 kg CO2 12 kg CO2 4 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: 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest
56.5 mi 1h 19m

via US 41, I 94, IL 173

Alternative (+1 min)
58.4 mi 1h 20m

via I 294, IL 173, South 25th Avenue

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