Drive or Fly: Homer Glen, IL to Decatur, 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 MDW–DEC. At 160 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 9m

Distance

160.6 mi

Total Cost

$70

CO2

65 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$35

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 50m

16m in the air

Air Distance

133 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

34 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Homer Glen, IL → MDW 24m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DEC → Decatur, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Homer Glen, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

Decatur, IL DEC — Decatur Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MDW and DEC. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 21m

1h 43m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Homer Glen, IL → Joliet Gateway Center 13m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 103m

Arrival 10m

Lincoln Amtrak Station → Decatur, IL 45m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From Joliet Gateway Center 9 mi, ~13m drive

To Lincoln Amtrak Station 30 mi, ~45m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 50m

4h 3m on road

Total Cost

$19

CO2

10 kg

Route

FlixBus N2521

Door-to-Door Timeline

Homer Glen, IL → Chicago (95th / Dan Ryan) (CHA6) 27m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 243m

Arrival 10m

Springfield SMTD Transfer Center (SNG6) → Decatur, IL 55m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From CHA6 — Chicago (95th / Dan Ryan) 18 mi, ~27m drive

To SNG6 — Springfield SMTD Transfer Center 37 mi, ~55m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 9m	2h 50m	3h 21m	5h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$70	$125	$23	$19
Carbon footprint	65 kg CO₂	34 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	10 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

160.6 mi 3h 9m

via I 55, US 51, I 80

Shortest (+1 min)

158.3 mi 3h 10m

via I 57, I 72, US 45

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