Drive or Fly: Smithton, IL to Cicero, 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 BLV–MDW. At 296 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 39m

Distance

296 mi

Total Cost

$108

CO2

120 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$73

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 1m

32m in the air

Air Distance

265 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

68 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Smithton, IL → BLV 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 32m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDW → Cicero, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Smithton, IL BLV — Scott AFB/Midamerica Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 38m 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 34m

4h 16m on rail

Total Cost

$51

CO2

15 kg

Route

Lincoln Service Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Smithton, IL → St. Louis (STL) 28m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 256m

Arrival 10m

Summit Amtrak (SMT) → Cicero, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $51) $51

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

Stations

From STL — St. Louis 19 mi, ~28m drive

To SMT — Summit Amtrak 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

7h 8m

6h 5m on road

Total Cost

$29

CO2

15 kg

Route

FlixBus N2521

Door-to-Door Timeline

Smithton, IL → St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) 28m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 365m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $29) $29

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

Stations

From SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 19 mi, ~28m drive

To CHD6 — Chicago Bus Station 6 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~19/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	5h 39m	3h 1m	5h 34m	7h 8m
Total cost (1 person)	$108	$186	$51	$29
Carbon footprint	120 kg CO₂	68 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂	15 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 Oct 24, 2026.

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