Drive or Fly: Dayton, ME to Chicago, IL?

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

Flying wins

Medium

Flying saves significant time at this distance. Consider driving only if you enjoy the road trip.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

20h 39m

Distance

1084 mi

Total Cost

$553

CO2

438 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$228

Hotel (1 room, 2 nights) $220

Meals (1 pax, 3 days) $105

+ No luggage restrictions or TSA lines

+ Stop anywhere along the route

+ Have your own car at the destination

− Requires 3 days of driving

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

4h 17m

1h 45m in the air

Air Distance

873 mi

Total Cost

$305

CO2

223 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Dayton, ME → PWM 22m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 105m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDW → Chicago, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $250) $250

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Dayton, ME PWM — Portland International Jetport 15 mi, ~22m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PWM and MDW. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 16h 22m compared to driving

+ 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	20h 39m	4h 17m
Total cost (1 person)	$553	$305
Carbon footprint	438 kg CO₂	223 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 Jun 3, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

1084 mi 20h 38m

via I 80, I 84, I 80; I 90

Shortest (+9 min)

1075.3 mi 20h 48m

via I 90, I 80; I 90, I 495

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