Drive or Fly: South Jacksonville, 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 SPI–MDW. At 230 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 20m

Distance

230.3 mi

Total Cost

$86

CO2

93 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$51

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 20m

24m in the air

Air Distance

196 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

50 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

South Jacksonville, IL → SPI 46m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 24m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDW → Cicero, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

South Jacksonville, IL SPI — Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport 31 mi, ~46m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SPI and MDW. 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 2m

2h 25m on rail

Total Cost

$34

CO2

10 kg

Route

Lincoln Service Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

South Jacksonville, IL → Springfield 47m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 145m

Arrival 10m

Summit Amtrak → Cicero, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $34) $34

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

Stations

From Springfield 31 mi, ~47m drive

To 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

5h 33m

4h 10m on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

10 kg

Route

FlixBus 2510

Door-to-Door Timeline

South Jacksonville, IL → Springfield SMTD Transfer Center (SNG6) 48m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 250m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From SNG6 — Springfield SMTD Transfer Center 32 mi, ~48m drive

To CHD6 — Chicago Bus Station 6 mi, ~10m 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 20m	3h 20m	4h 2m	5h 33m
Total cost (1 person)	$86	$183	$34	$20
Carbon footprint	93 kg CO₂	50 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 Apr 19, 2026.

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