Drive or Fly: Markham, IL to Assumption, 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 187 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 28m

Distance

187.4 mi

Total Cost

$77

CO2

76 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$42

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 15m

19m in the air

Air Distance

160 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

41 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Markham, IL → MDW 20m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DEC → Assumption, IL 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Markham, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 14 mi, ~20m drive

Assumption, IL DEC — Decatur Airport 24 mi, ~36m 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 20m

2h 36m on rail

Total Cost

$30

CO2

9 kg

Route

Saluki

Door-to-Door Timeline

Markham, IL → Homewood 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 156m

Arrival 10m

Mattoon Amtrak Station → Assumption, IL 54m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $30) $30

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

Stations

From Homewood 3 mi, ~10m drive

To Mattoon Amtrak Station 36 mi, ~54m 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

5h 37m

4h 3m on road

Total Cost

$19

CO2

10 kg

Route

FlixBus N2521

Door-to-Door Timeline

Markham, IL → Chicago (95th / Dan Ryan) (CHA6) 14m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 243m

Arrival 10m

Springfield SMTD Transfer Center (SNG6) → Assumption, IL 55m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $19) $19

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

Stations

From CHA6 — Chicago (95th / Dan Ryan) 10 mi, ~14m drive

To SNG6 — Springfield SMTD Transfer Center 37 mi, ~55m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− 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	3h 28m	3h 15m	4h 20m	5h 37m
Total cost (1 person)	$77	$126	$30	$19
Carbon footprint	76 kg CO₂	41 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	10 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 Markham, IL to Assumption, IL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.