Drive or Fly: East Saint Louis, 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 STL–MDW. At 290 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 28m

Distance

290.8 mi

Total Cost

$100

CO2

117 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$65

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 3m

31m in the air

Air Distance

259 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

66 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

East Saint Louis, IL → STL 22m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 31m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDW → Chicago, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

East Saint Louis, IL STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 15 mi, ~22m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 25m 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

6h 1m

5h 1m on rail

Total Cost

$52

CO2

15 kg

Route

Lincoln Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

East Saint Louis, IL → St. Louis 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 301m

Arrival 10m

Chicago Union Station → Chicago, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $52) $52

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

Stations

From St. Louis 3 mi, ~10m drive

To Chicago Union Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 50m

6h 5m on road

Total Cost

$29

CO2

15 kg

Route

FlixBus 2510

Door-to-Door Timeline

East Saint Louis, IL → St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 365m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $29) $29

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

Stations

From SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 3 mi, ~10m 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	5h 28m	3h 3m	6h 1m	6h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$100	$185	$52	$29
Carbon footprint	117 kg CO₂	66 kg CO₂	15 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 12, 2026.

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