Drive or Fly: Nashville, IL to Chicago, 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 BLV–MDW. At 292 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 33m

Distance

292.3 mi

Total Cost

$100

CO2

118 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$65

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

31m in the air

Air Distance

259 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

66 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Nashville, IL → BLV 42m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 31m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDW → Chicago, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Nashville, IL BLV — Scott AFB/Midamerica Airport 28 mi, ~42m drive

Chicago, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 10m 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 55m

4h 37m on rail

Total Cost

$49

CO2

14 kg

Route

Illini

Door-to-Door Timeline

Nashville, IL → Centralia Amtrak Station 28m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 277m

Arrival 10m

Chicago Union Station → Chicago, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $49) $49

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

Stations

From Centralia Amtrak Station 18 mi, ~28m drive

To Chicago Union Station 2 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	5h 33m	3h 23m	5h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$100	$185	$49
Carbon footprint	118 kg CO₂	66 kg CO₂	14 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 — 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 12, 2026.

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