Drive or Fly: Evanston, IL to Gage Park, 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 ORD–MDW. At 18 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

37m

Distance

18.6 mi

Total Cost

$39

CO2

8 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$4

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 30m

2m in the air

Air Distance

17 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Evanston, IL → ORD 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDW → Gage Park, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Evanston, IL ORD — Chicago O'Hare International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

Gage Park, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORD 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 38m

50m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US0150

Door-to-Door Timeline

Evanston, IL → Chicago (Cumberland Farms) (CUA6) 13m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 50m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

From CUA6 — Chicago (Cumberland Farms) 9 mi, ~13m drive

To CHD6 — Chicago Bus Station 6 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	37m	2h 30m	1h 38m
Total cost (1 person)	$39	$121	$1
Carbon footprint	8 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	1 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

18.6 mi 37m

via North Ashland Avenue, South Western Avenue

Shortest (+0 min)

18.3 mi 37m

via North Western Avenue, South Western Avenue, North Damen Avenue

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