Drive or Fly: Joliet, IL to Jonesboro, 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–CGI. At 325 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

6h 7m

Distance

325.1 mi

Total Cost

$107

CO2

131 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$72

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 46m

35m in the air

Air Distance

288 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

74 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Joliet, IL → MDW 37m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 35m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CGI → Jonesboro, IL 34m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Jonesboro, IL CGI — Cape Girardeau Regional Airport 23 mi, ~34m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MDW and CGI. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 21m compared to driving

+ 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	6h 7m	3h 46m
Total cost (1 person)	$107	$187
Carbon footprint	131 kg CO₂	74 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 13, 2026.

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