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

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 59m

Distance

319.6 mi

Total Cost

$106

CO2

129 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

Mount Pleasant, IL → MWA 31m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 35m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDW → Markham, IL 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Mount Pleasant, IL MWA — Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois 21 mi, ~31m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MWA and MDW. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 1m

4h 40m on rail

Total Cost

$56

CO2

16 kg

Route

Illini

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Pleasant, IL → Carbondale 31m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 280m

Arrival 10m

Homewood → Markham, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $56) $56

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

Stations

From Carbondale 20 mi, ~31m drive

To Homewood 3 mi, ~10m 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

10h 5m

8h 55m on road

Total Cost

$32

CO2

17 kg

Route

FlixBus N2521

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Pleasant, IL → Carbondale Intermodal Station (CDI6) 31m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 535m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $32) $32

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

Stations

From CDI6 — Carbondale Intermodal Station 20 mi, ~31m drive

To CHA6 — Chicago (95th / Dan Ryan) 10 mi, ~14m 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	4h 59m	3h 26m	6h 1m	10h 5m
Total cost (1 person)	$106	$187	$56	$32
Carbon footprint	129 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 Mount Pleasant, IL to Markham, IL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.