Drive or Fly: Granite City, IL to Markham, 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 275 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 8m

Distance

275.6 mi

Total Cost

$96

CO2

111 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$61

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 8m

29m in the air

Air Distance

238 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

61 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Granite City, IL → STL 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 29m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDW → Markham, IL 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Granite City, IL STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 12 mi, ~19m drive

Markham, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 14 mi, ~20m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between STL 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 57m

6h 8m on road

Total Cost

$28

CO2

15 kg

Route

FlixBus N2521

Door-to-Door Timeline

Granite City, IL → St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 368m

Arrival 10m

Chicago (95th / Dan Ryan) (CHA6) → Markham, IL 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

From SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 6 mi, ~10m drive

To CHA6 — Chicago (95th / Dan Ryan) 10 mi, ~14m 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	5h 8m	3h 8m	6h 57m
Total cost (1 person)	$96	$185	$28
Carbon footprint	111 kg CO₂	61 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: 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 Granite City, IL to Markham, IL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.