How far is Joliet, IL from Chicago Heights, IL?

The driving distance from Joliet, IL to Chicago Heights, IL is about 27.7 miles (44.6 km), with a travel time of about 00h 43m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 23.2 miles (37.3 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 26m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
27.74 mi
00h 43m
Flight
23.2 mi
37.34 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Joliet.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
23.2 mi
Kilometers
37.34 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
27.74 mi
Kilometers
44.64 km
Drive Time
00h 43m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 00h 43m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Chicago Heights
Sun, Apr 19, 11:44 AM CDT
Return by in Joliet
Sun, Apr 19, 12:27 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Joliet
2026-04-19T11:01
Arrive Chicago Heights
Sun, Apr 19, 11:44 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 43m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:43 AM to 7:43 PM CDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:04 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Joliet
10:00 PM CDT
Flexible departure

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Orland Hills
IL

Village in United States of America

From Joliet
13.9 mi
00h 21m
To Chicago Heights
13.9 mi
00h 21m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
53°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 to 20 mph WNW
Destination
52°F
Sunday

Areas Of Frost then Chance Rain Showers

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 to 15 mph W

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Joliet and Chicago Heights.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Joliet and Chicago Heights.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    34 m · 10 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Ottawa Street

    1397 ft · 44 sec · Ottawa Street

  3. 3

    Continue on Ottawa Street

    758 ft · 22 sec · Ottawa Street

  4. 4

    Continue on Chicago Street

    3122 ft · 2 min · Chicago Street

  5. 5

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 80 East: Gary Indiana

    1263 ft · 43 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left

    15.7 mi · 19 min

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward IL 43 South: Harlem Avenue

    2536 ft · 1 min

  8. 8

    Turn straight onto Harlem Avenue

    1.3 mi · 2 min · Harlem Avenue

  9. 9

    Turn left onto Vollmer Road

    6.9 mi · 13 min · Vollmer Road

  10. 10

    Turn slight right onto Dixie Highway

    1.5 mi · 3 min · Dixie Highway

  11. 11

    At the end of the road, turn right onto Chicago Road

    1471 ft · 40 sec · Chicago Road

  12. 12

    Turn left onto East Lincoln Highway

    1673 ft · 1 min · East Lincoln Highway

  13. 13

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · South Halsted Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Joliet and Chicago Heights.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
13 steps
6 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
46.9 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
I 80 East
16 mi · 58%
Vollmer Road
6.94 mi · 25%
Dixie Highway
1.47 mi · 5%
Harlem Avenue
1.28 mi · 5%
Chicago Street
0.59 mi · 2%
IL 43 South
0.48 mi · 2%
Longest Stretch

I 80 East

Merge slight left

15.7 mi · 00h 19m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 43m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 26m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+4.5 mi
23.2 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Orland Hills
00h 21m from Joliet
Leave By
7:04 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Joliet and Areas Of Frost then Chance Rain Showers near Chicago Heights.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Joliet to Chicago Heights?

The road trip is about 27.7 miles (44.6 km) and usually takes 00h 43m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Orland Hills is a useful midpoint, sitting about 13.9 miles from Joliet and 13.9 miles from Chicago Heights.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 23.2 miles (37.3 km), while the road route adds roughly 4.5 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:04 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.70 one way or $7.39 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 8.7 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Joliet and Areas Of Frost then Chance Rain Showers near Chicago Heights.

Stop Ideas Near Orland Hills

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Orland Hills, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Orland Hills.

RAIL

Homewood

15 mi away
18015 Park Ave.
RAIL

Joliet Transportation Center

21 mi away
50 East Jefferson Street
RAIL

Summit

23 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.
RAIL

La Grange Road

26 mi away
25 West Burlington St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Joliet and Chicago Heights. Straight-line distance: 23.2 mi (37.34 km).

Joliet

#1 Joliet

The second most populous city in Will County, Illinois.

Population85,583
Coordinates41.5251900, -88.0834000
Altitude165
CountryUnited States
Chicago Heights

#2 Chicago Heights

City in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Population28,990
Coordinates41.5061500, -87.6356000
Altitude201
CountryUnited States
Start: Joliet (-88.0834, 41.52519)
End: Chicago Heights (-87.6356, 41.50615)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 45 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 55m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 41m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 33m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 27m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 23m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 20m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.98 gal
3.71 L · about $3.70
Round trip
$7.39
1.96 gal · 7.42 L
Estimated CO2
8.7 kg one way
Round trip: 17.4 kg / 38 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $3.70 $7.39
Mid-grade $4.25 $4.17 $8.34
Premium $4.65 $4.56 $9.12
Diesel $5.30 $5.20 $10.40

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Illinois · Apr 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Joliet and Chicago Heights. The current time is 11:01:02.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.