Drive or Fly: East Dubuque, IL to Joliet, 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 DBQ–MDW. At 212 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 1m

Distance

212 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

3h 6m

18m in the air

Air Distance

147 mi

Total Cost

$181

CO2

38 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

East Dubuque, IL → DBQ 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDW → Joliet, IL 37m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

East Dubuque, IL DBQ — Dubuque Regional Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

Joliet, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 25 mi, ~37m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DBQ 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 12m

3h 38m on road

Total Cost

$14

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

East Dubuque, IL → Davenport (Ground Transportation) (DAV6) 101m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 218m

Arrival 10m

Naperville (Route 59 Metra Station) (NEM6) → Joliet, IL 28m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $14) $14

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

Stations

From DAV6 — Davenport (Ground Transportation) 67 mi, ~101m drive

To NEM6 — Naperville (Route 59 Metra Station) 19 mi, ~28m 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	4h 1m	3h 6m	6h 12m
Total cost (1 person)	$82	$181	$14
Carbon footprint	86 kg CO₂	38 kg CO₂	7 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

212 mi 4h 0m

via I 80, US 61; US 151, I 80; US 61

Shortest (+4 min)

183.1 mi 4h 5m

via US 20, I 88; IL 110, I 39; US 51

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