Drive or Fly: Markham, IL to Saratoga, 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 318 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 57m

Distance

318 mi

Total Cost

$106

CO2

128 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 23m

35m in the air

Air Distance

293 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 → Saratoga, IL 28m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Saratoga, IL MWA — Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois 18 mi, ~28m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 34m 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 2m

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 → Saratoga, IL 23m

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 15 mi, ~23m 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 27m

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) → Saratoga, IL 23m

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 15 mi, ~23m 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 57m	3h 23m	6h 2m	9h 27m
Total cost (1 person)	$106	$187	$56	$32
Carbon footprint	128 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 14, 2026.

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