Drive or Fly: Windsor, IL to Markham, 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 DEC–MDW. At 176 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 49m

Distance

176.3 mi

Total Cost

$74

CO2

71 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$39

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 25m

19m in the air

Air Distance

156 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

40 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Windsor, IL → DEC 46m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDW → Markham, IL 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Windsor, IL DEC — Decatur Airport 31 mi, ~46m drive

Markham, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 14 mi, ~20m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DEC 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

3h 38m

2h 30m on rail

Total Cost

$30

CO2

9 kg

Route

City of New Orleans

Door-to-Door Timeline

Windsor, IL → Mattoon Amtrak Station 18m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 150m

Arrival 10m

Homewood → Markham, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $30) $30

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

Stations

From Mattoon Amtrak Station 12 mi, ~18m drive

To Homewood 3 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 22m

2h 28m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

FlixBus N2521

Door-to-Door Timeline

Windsor, IL → Champaign Intermodal Trans Ctr (CPN6) 75m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 148m

Arrival 10m

Chicago (95th / Dan Ryan) (CHA6) → Markham, IL 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From CPN6 — Champaign Intermodal Trans Ctr 50 mi, ~75m drive

To CHA6 — Chicago (95th / Dan Ryan) 10 mi, ~14m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 49m	3h 25m	3h 38m	4h 22m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$126	$30	$13
Carbon footprint	71 kg CO₂	40 kg CO₂	9 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 12, 2026.

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