Drive or Fly: Pinckneyville, 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 MWA–MDW. At 306 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 55m

Distance

306.8 mi

Total Cost

$103

CO2

124 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$68

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 28m

33m in the air

Air Distance

274 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

70 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pinckneyville, IL → MWA 45m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 33m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDW → Cicero, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Pinckneyville, IL MWA — Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois 30 mi, ~45m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 27m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

10h 44m

9h 30m on road

Total Cost

$33

CO2

17 kg

Route

FlixBus N2521

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pinckneyville, IL → Carbondale Intermodal Station (CDI6) 39m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 570m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $33) $33

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

Stations

From CDI6 — Carbondale Intermodal Station 26 mi, ~39m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	5h 55m	3h 28m	10h 44m
Total cost (1 person)	$103	$186	$33
Carbon footprint	124 kg CO₂	70 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: 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 13, 2026.

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