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Drive or Fly: Joliet, IL to Cerro Gordo, 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 148 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 3m

Distance

148.9 mi

Total Cost

$68

CO2

60 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$33
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

14m in the air

Air Distance

118 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

30 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Joliet, IL → MDW 37m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 14m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
DEC → Cerro Gordo, IL 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Joliet, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 25 mi, ~37m drive
Cerro Gordo, IL DEC — Decatur Airport 8 mi, ~12m 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

At a Glance

Drive Fly
Door-to-door time 3h 3m 3h 3m
Total cost (1 person) $68 $125
Carbon footprint 60 kg CO2 30 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
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
148.9 mi 3h 2m

via I 57, I 72, US 45; US 52

Shortest (+6 min)
141 mi 3h 9m

via I 55, IL 48, IL 32

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