Drive or Fly: Gillespie, IL to Joliet, 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

3h 59m

Distance

213.9 mi

Total Cost

$87

CO2

86 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 59m

23m in the air

Air Distance

189 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

48 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gillespie, IL → STL 59m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 23m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDW → Joliet, IL 37m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Gillespie, IL STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 40 mi, ~59m drive

Joliet, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 25 mi, ~37m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

98.2%

Cancellation

1.8%

+ 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

3h 47m

2h 41m on rail

Total Cost

$36

CO2

11 kg

Route

Lincoln Service Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Gillespie, IL → Carlinville Amtrak Station (CRV) 16m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 161m

Arrival 10m

Joliet Gateway Center (JOL) → Joliet, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $36) $36

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

Stations

From CRV — Carlinville Amtrak Station 11 mi, ~16m drive

To JOL — Joliet Gateway Center 0 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	3h 59m	3h 59m	3h 47m
Total cost (1 person)	$87	$183	$36
Carbon footprint	86 kg CO₂	48 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	98% 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 Oct 19, 2026.

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