Drive or Fly: Chicago, IL to Divernon, 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 MDW–SPI. At 214 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 4m

Distance

214.1 mi

Total Cost

$80

CO2

86 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$45

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 2m

23m in the air

Air Distance

190 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

48 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chicago, IL → MDW 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 23m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SPI → Divernon, IL 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Chicago, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

Divernon, IL SPI — Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport 19 mi, ~29m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MDW and SPI. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 17m

3h 2m on rail

Total Cost

$36

CO2

10 kg

Route

Lincoln Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chicago, IL → Chicago Union Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 182m

Arrival 10m

Springfield → Divernon, IL 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $36) $36

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

Stations

From Chicago Union Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

To Springfield 16 mi, ~25m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/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 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 4m

4h 5m on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

10 kg

Route

FlixBus 2510

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 245m

Arrival 10m

Springfield SMTD Transfer Center (SNG6) → Divernon, IL 24m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From CHD6 — Chicago Bus Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

To SNG6 — Springfield SMTD Transfer Center 16 mi, ~24m 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	4h 4m	3h 2m	4h 17m	5h 4m
Total cost (1 person)	$80	$183	$36	$20
Carbon footprint	86 kg CO₂	48 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	10 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 Jun 3, 2026.

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