Drive or Fly: West Chicago, IL to Berwyn, 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 ORD–MDW. At 23 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

43m

Distance

23.6 mi

Total Cost

$40

CO2

10 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$5
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 38m

3m in the air

Air Distance

21 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

5 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Chicago, IL → ORD 25m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 3m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
MDW → Berwyn, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

West Chicago, IL ORD — Chicago O'Hare International Airport 17 mi, ~25m drive
Berwyn, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORD 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 33m

45m on road

Total Cost

$3

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Chicago, IL → Naperville (Route 59 Metra Station) (NEM6) 11m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 45m
Arrival 10m
Chicago Bus Station (CHD6) → Berwyn, IL 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

From NEM6 — Naperville (Route 59 Metra Station) 7 mi, ~11m drive
To CHD6 — Chicago Bus Station 8 mi, ~12m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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
Travel time longer than driving
Need transportation to/from station
Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

Drive Fly Bus
Door-to-door time 43m 2h 38m 1h 33m
Total cost (1 person) $40 $121 $3
Carbon footprint 10 kg CO2 5 kg CO2 2 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 12, 2026.

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