Drive or Fly: Fulton, 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 MLI–MDW. At 141 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 26m

Distance

141.7 mi

Total Cost

$66

CO2

57 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$31

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 41m

13m in the air

Air Distance

110 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

28 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fulton, IL → MLI 51m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDW → Joliet, IL 37m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Fulton, IL MLI — Quad City International Airport 34 mi, ~51m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MLI 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

4h 48m

3h 23m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

8 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fulton, IL → Moline Center Station (Metrolink) (MOL6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 203m

Arrival 10m

Naperville (Route 59 Metra Station) (NEM6) → Joliet, IL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From MOL6 — Moline Center Station (Metrolink) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To NEM6 — Naperville (Route 59 Metra Station) 0 mi, ~30m 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	2h 26m	3h 41m	4h 48m
Total cost (1 person)	$66	$124	$13
Carbon footprint	57 kg CO₂	28 kg CO₂	8 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 13, 2026.

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