Drive or Fly: Cicero, IL to Rosewood Heights, IL?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

Short enough to drive comfortably in a day. Airport overhead makes flying slower door-to-door. Available flights require a connection, adding time and cost.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 13m

Distance

273.4 mi

Total Cost

$87

CO2

110 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$52

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 6m

29m in the air

Air Distance

238 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

61 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cicero, IL → MDW 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 29m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

STL → Rosewood Heights, IL 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Rosewood Heights, IL STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

98.7%

Cancellation

1.3%

+ Saves about 2h 7m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 44m

3h 44m on rail

Total Cost

$47

CO2

14 kg

Route

Lincoln Service Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cicero, IL → Summit Amtrak (SMT) 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 224m

Arrival 10m

Alton Amtrak Station (ALN) → Rosewood Heights, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $47) $47

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

Stations

From SMT — Summit Amtrak 5 mi, ~10m drive

To ALN — Alton Amtrak Station 5 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	5h 13m	3h 6m	4h 44m
Total cost (1 person)	$87	$185	$47
Carbon footprint	110 kg CO₂	61 kg CO₂	14 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	99% on-time

Drive data: OSRM routing, EIA fuel prices

Flight data: Statistical estimate

Airports: OurAirports

Transit: Amtrak 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 Jul 20, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

273.4 mi 5h 13m

via I 55, IL 140

Alternative (+22 min)

291.3 mi 5h 35m

via I 57, I 72, I 55

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