Drive or Fly: Markham, IL to East Saint Louis, 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–STL. At 278 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 9m

Distance

278.1 mi

Total Cost

$96

CO2

112 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$61

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 11m

29m in the air

Air Distance

243 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

62 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Markham, IL → MDW 20m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 29m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

STL → East Saint Louis, IL 22m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

East Saint Louis, IL STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 15 mi, ~22m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MDW and STL. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 42m

5h 53m on road

Total Cost

$28

CO2

15 kg

Route

FlixBus N2521

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 353m

Arrival 10m

St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) → East Saint Louis, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

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

To SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 3 mi, ~10m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	5h 9m	3h 11m	6h 42m
Total cost (1 person)	$96	$185	$28
Carbon footprint	112 kg CO₂	62 kg CO₂	15 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: 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

278.1 mi 5h 8m

via I 55, I 80

Alternative (+4 min)

285.9 mi 5h 13m

via I 57, I 70

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Markham, IL to East Saint Louis, IL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.