Drive or Fly: Lake of the Woods, IL to Chicago, 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 CMI–MDW. At 139 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 43m

Distance

139 mi

Total Cost

$66

CO2

56 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$31

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 43m

14m in the air

Air Distance

120 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

30 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake of the Woods, IL → CMI 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDW → Chicago, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Lake of the Woods, IL CMI — University of Illinois Willard Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

Chicago, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CMI and MDW. 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

4h 16m

2h 36m on rail

Total Cost

$25

CO2

8 kg

Route

Saluki

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake of the Woods, IL → Champaign-Urbana 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 156m

Arrival 10m

Chicago Union Station → Chicago, IL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $25) $25

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

Stations

From Champaign-Urbana 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Chicago Union Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 55m

2h 30m on road

Total Cost

$14

CO2

8 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake of the Woods, IL → Champaign Intermodal Trans Ctr (CPN6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 150m

Arrival 10m

Chicago Bus Station (CHD6) → Chicago, IL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $14) $14

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

Stations

From CPN6 — Champaign Intermodal Trans Ctr 0 mi, ~30m drive

To CHD6 — Chicago Bus Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− 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	2h 43m	2h 43m	4h 16m	3h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$66	$125	$25	$14
Carbon footprint	56 kg CO₂	30 kg CO₂	8 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, 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Lake of the Woods, IL to Chicago, IL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.