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Drive or Fly: Markham, IL to Makanda, 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–MWA. At 319 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 59m

Distance

319.2 mi

Total Cost

$105

CO2

129 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$70
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

34m in the air

Air Distance

286 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

73 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Markham, IL → MDW 20m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 34m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
MWA → Makanda, IL 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Markham, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 14 mi, ~20m drive
Makanda, IL MWA — Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois 14 mi, ~21m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 44m 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 50m

4h 49m on rail

Total Cost

$56

CO2

16 kg

Route

Illini

Door-to-Door Timeline

Markham, IL → Homewood 10m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 289m
Arrival 10m
Carbondale → Makanda, IL 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $56) $56

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

Stations

From Homewood 3 mi, ~10m drive
To Carbondale 7 mi, ~11m 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

9h 15m

8h 25m on road

Total Cost

$32

CO2

17 kg

Route

FlixBus N2521

Door-to-Door Timeline

Markham, IL → Chicago (95th / Dan Ryan) (CHA6) 14m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 505m
Arrival 10m
Carbondale Intermodal Station (CDI6) → Makanda, IL 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $32) $32

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

Stations

From CHA6 — Chicago (95th / Dan Ryan) 10 mi, ~14m drive
To CDI6 — Carbondale Intermodal Station 7 mi, ~11m 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 5h 59m 3h 15m 5h 50m 9h 15m
Total cost (1 person) $105 $186 $56 $32
Carbon footprint 129 kg CO2 73 kg CO2 16 kg CO2 17 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 15, 2026.

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