Drive or Fly: Washburn, IL to Joliet, 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 PIA–MDW. At 96 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 58m

Distance

96.6 mi

Total Cost

$56

CO2

39 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$21

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 27m

9m in the air

Air Distance

75 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

19 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Washburn, IL → PIA 41m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDW → Joliet, IL 37m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Washburn, IL PIA — General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport 27 mi, ~41m drive

Joliet, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 25 mi, ~37m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PIA 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	1h 58m	3h 27m
Total cost (1 person)	$56	$123
Carbon footprint	39 kg CO₂	19 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

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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

96.6 mi 1h 57m

via I 80, I 39; US 51, 700 North Road

Shortest (+12 min)

94.1 mi 2h 10m

via I 55, IL 17, 700 North Road

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