Drive or Fly: Cicero, IL to Auburn, 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–SPI. At 212 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 2m

Distance

212.4 mi

Total Cost

$82

CO2

86 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$47

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

2h 59m

22m in the air

Air Distance

187 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

48 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cicero, IL → MDW 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SPI → Auburn, IL 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Cicero, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Auburn, IL SPI — Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MDW and SPI. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 53m

2h 40m on rail

Total Cost

$34

CO2

10 kg

Route

Lincoln Service Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cicero, IL → Summit Amtrak 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 160m

Arrival 10m

Springfield → Auburn, IL 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $34) $34

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

Stations

From Summit Amtrak 5 mi, ~10m drive

To Springfield 15 mi, ~23m 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

5h 3m

4h 5m on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

10 kg

Route

FlixBus 2510

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 245m

Arrival 10m

Springfield SMTD Transfer Center (SNG6) → Auburn, IL 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From CHD6 — Chicago Bus Station 6 mi, ~10m drive

To SNG6 — Springfield SMTD Transfer Center 15 mi, ~23m 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	4h 2m	2h 59m	3h 53m	5h 3m
Total cost (1 person)	$82	$182	$34	$20
Carbon footprint	86 kg CO₂	48 kg CO₂	10 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, 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 13, 2026.

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