Drive or Fly: Joliet, IL to Chatham, 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–SPI. At 174 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 15m

Distance

174.4 mi

Total Cost

$74

CO2

70 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$39

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 13m

18m in the air

Air Distance

153 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

39 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Joliet, IL → MDW 37m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SPI → Chatham, IL 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

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

Chatham, IL SPI — Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MDW and SPI. 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 14m

2h 10m on rail

Total Cost

$29

CO2

8 kg

Route

Lincoln Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Joliet, IL → Joliet Gateway Center 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 130m

Arrival 10m

Springfield → Chatham, IL 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $29) $29

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

Stations

From Joliet Gateway Center 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Springfield 9 mi, ~14m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	3h 15m	3h 13m	3h 14m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$126	$29
Carbon footprint	70 kg CO₂	39 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: Amtrak 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 14, 2026.

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