Drive or Fly: Joliet, IL to Sidney, 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–CMI. At 130 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 43m

Distance

130.2 mi

Total Cost

$64

CO2

53 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$29

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 5m

12m in the air

Air Distance

104 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

26 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Joliet, IL → MDW 37m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CMI → Sidney, IL 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

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

Sidney, IL CMI — University of Illinois Willard Airport 11 mi, ~16m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MDW and CMI. 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	2h 43m	3h 5m
Total cost (1 person)	$64	$124
Carbon footprint	53 kg CO₂	26 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

130.2 mi 2h 43m

via I 57, I 74, US 45; US 52

Alternative (+26 min)

159 mi 3h 9m

via I 55, I 74, CR 29

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