Drive or Fly: Upper Alton, IL to Lockport, 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

4h 48m

Distance

251 mi

Total Cost

$82

CO2

101 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$47

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 21m

26m in the air

Air Distance

215 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

55 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Upper Alton, IL → STL 24m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 26m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDW → Lockport, IL 31m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Upper Alton, IL STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

Lockport, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 21 mi, ~31m drive

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

99.3%

Cancellation

0.7%

+ 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 7m

3h 7m on rail

Total Cost

$42

CO2

12 kg

Route

Lincoln Service Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Upper Alton, IL → Alton Amtrak Station (ALN) 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 187m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $42) $42

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

Stations

From ALN — Alton Amtrak Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To JOL — Joliet Gateway Center 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	4h 48m	3h 21m	4h 7m
Total cost (1 person)	$82	$184	$42
Carbon footprint	101 kg CO₂	55 kg CO₂	12 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 21, 2026.

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