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Drive or Fly: Du Quoin, IL to Chicago, 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 MWA–MDW. At 316 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 57m

Distance

316.6 mi

Total Cost

$105

CO2

128 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$70
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 15m

33m in the air

Air Distance

278 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

71 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Du Quoin, IL → MWA 32m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 33m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
MDW → Chicago, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Du Quoin, IL MWA — Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois 22 mi, ~32m drive
Chicago, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MWA 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
− May need a rental car at destination
− Luggage fees and restrictions
− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 9m

5h 9m on rail

Total Cost

$56

CO2

16 kg

Route

Illini

Door-to-Door Timeline

Du Quoin, IL → Du Quoin Amtrak Station 10m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 309m
Arrival 10m
Chicago Union Station → Chicago, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $56) $56

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

Stations

From Du Quoin Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m drive
To Chicago Union Station 2 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

10h 35m

9h 30m on road

Total Cost

$33

CO2

17 kg

Route

FlixBus N2521

Door-to-Door Timeline

Du Quoin, IL → Carbondale Intermodal Station (CDI6) 30m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 570m
Arrival 10m
Chicago Bus Station (CHD6) → Chicago, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $33) $33

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

Stations

From CDI6 — Carbondale Intermodal Station 20 mi, ~30m drive
To CHD6 — Chicago Bus Station 2 mi, ~10m 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 57m 3h 15m 6h 9m 10h 35m
Total cost (1 person) $105 $186 $56 $33
Carbon footprint 128 kg CO2 71 kg CO2 16 kg CO2 17 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 Du Quoin, IL to Chicago, IL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.