Drive or Fly: Normal, IL to Cicero, 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 BMI–MDW. At 126 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 28m

Distance

126.3 mi

Total Cost

$63

CO2

51 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$28

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

2h 33m

13m in the air

Air Distance

112 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

29 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Normal, IL → BMI 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDW → Cicero, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Normal, IL BMI — Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal 5 mi, ~10m drive

Cicero, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BMI 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

2h 36m

1h 36m on rail

Total Cost

$22

CO2

6 kg

Route

Lincoln Service Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Normal, IL → Bloomington-Normal 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 96m

Arrival 10m

Summit Amtrak → Cicero, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $22) $22

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

Stations

From Bloomington-Normal 0 mi, ~10m drive

To Summit Amtrak 5 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

6h 20m

5h 35m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US0145S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Normal, IL → Bloomington (BLL6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 335m

Arrival 10m

Chicago Bus Station (CHD6) → Cicero, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From BLL6 — Bloomington 0 mi, ~10m drive

To CHD6 — Chicago Bus Station 6 mi, ~10m 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	2h 28m	2h 33m	2h 36m	6h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$63	$124	$22	$13
Carbon footprint	51 kg CO₂	29 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	7 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 Normal, IL to Cicero, IL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.