Skip to main content
Trip.ovh Logo
Trip.ovh

Drive or Fly: Markham, IL to Mount Pleasant, 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 323 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 54m

Distance

323 mi

Total Cost

$106

CO2

130 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$71
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 26m

35m in the air

Air Distance

295 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

75 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Markham, IL → MDW 20m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 35m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
MWA → Mount Pleasant, IL 31m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Markham, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 14 mi, ~20m drive
Mount Pleasant, IL MWA — Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois 21 mi, ~31m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 28m 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

6h 10m

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 → Mount Pleasant, IL 31m

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 20 mi, ~31m 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 35m

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) → Mount Pleasant, IL 31m

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 20 mi, ~31m 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 54m 3h 26m 6h 10m 9h 35m
Total cost (1 person) $106 $187 $56 $32
Carbon footprint 130 kg CO2 75 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 16, 2026.

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