How far is McKinley Park, IL from Des Plaines, IL?

The driving distance from McKinley Park, IL to Des Plaines, IL is about 34.7 miles (55.9 km), with a travel time of about 00h 47m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 17.6 miles (28.4 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 34m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CST.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
34.73 mi
00h 47m
Flight
17.62 mi
28.35 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from McKinley Park.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
17.62 mi
Kilometers
28.35 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
34.73 mi
Kilometers
55.9 km
Drive Time
00h 47m

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 47m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Des Plaines
Sat, Nov 7, 8:39 AM CST
Return by in McKinley Park
Sat, Nov 7, 9:26 AM CST
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave McKinley Park
2026-11-07T07:51
Arrive Des Plaines
Sat, Nov 7, 8:39 AM CST
Route Timing
00h 47m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CST
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
8:47 AM to 10:47 AM CST

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
4:56 PM CST
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in McKinley Park
9:30 PM CST
Morning start is best

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

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

Mid-route stop
Lincolnwood
IL

Village in United States of America

From McKinley Park
11 mi
00h 23m
To Des Plaines
23.7 mi
00h 23m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
51°F
Today

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sat, Nov 7 7:00 AM CST
Wind
5 to 10 mph W
Destination
51°F
Saturday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sat, Nov 7 6:00 AM CST
Wind
5 mph WNW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between McKinley Park and Des Plaines.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between McKinley Park and Des Plaines.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    144 m · 37 sec

  2. 2

    At the end of the road, turn right onto South Damen Avenue

    2.9 mi · 6 min · South Damen Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn right onto West Ogden Avenue

    1.9 mi · 4 min · West Ogden Avenue

  4. 4

    Turn left onto I 90 West, I 94 West

    874 ft · 24 sec

  5. 5

    Merge slight left onto Kennedy Expressway

    6.5 mi · 9 min · Kennedy Expressway

  6. 6

    Continue on Edens Expressway

    2.2 mi · 2 min · Edens Expressway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward US 14 West: Caldwell Avenue

    1068 ft · 26 sec

  8. 8

    Turn slight right onto North Caldwell Avenue

    2.5 mi · 4 min · North Caldwell Avenue

  9. 9

    Turn left onto West Touhy Avenue

    2.3 mi · 4 min · West Touhy Avenue

  10. 10

    Turn slight right onto Busse Highway

    1.5 mi · 3 min · Busse Highway

  11. 11

    Turn slight left onto Oakton Street

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Oakton Street

  12. 12

    Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road

    1.1 km · 1 min · South Des Plaines River Road

  13. 13

    Turn left onto Henry Avenue

    557 ft · 24 sec · Henry Avenue

  14. 14

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Henry Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between McKinley Park and Des Plaines.

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
14 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
2
1 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
40.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Kennedy Expressway
6.47 mi · 19%
South Damen Avenue
2.85 mi · 8%
North Caldwell Avenue
2.52 mi · 7%
West Touhy Avenue
2.29 mi · 7%
Edens Expressway
2.18 mi · 6%
West Ogden Avenue
1.87 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

Kennedy Expressway

Merge slight left onto Kennedy Expressway

6.47 mi · 00h 09m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
00h 47m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
01h 34m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+17.1 mi
17.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Lincolnwood
00h 23m from McKinley Park
Leave By
4:56 PM CST
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving McKinley Park and Mostly Sunny near Des Plaines.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from McKinley Park to Des Plaines?

The road trip is about 34.7 miles (55.9 km) and usually takes 00h 47m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Lincolnwood is a useful midpoint, sitting about 11 miles from McKinley Park and 23.7 miles from Des Plaines.

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

The direct path is about 17.6 miles (28.4 km), while the road route adds roughly 17.1 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CST. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:56 PM CST.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $5.67 one way or $11.33 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 10.9 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around McKinley Park and Mostly Sunny near Des Plaines.

Stop Ideas Near Lincolnwood

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Lincolnwood, 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 Lincolnwood.

RAIL

Glenview station

10 mi away
1116 Depot St.
RAIL

Chicago Union Station

16 mi away
225 South Canal Street
RAIL

La Grange Road

24 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Summit

25 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between McKinley Park and Des Plaines. Straight-line distance: 17.62 mi (28.35 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 McKinley Park

McKinley Park is a place in Illinois, United States.

Population0
Coordinates41.8317000, -87.6736600
Altitude182
CountryUnited States
Des Plaines

#2 Des Plaines

The most populous city in Cook County, Illinois.

Population58,179
Coordinates42.0333600, -87.8834000
Altitude193
CountryUnited States
Start: (-87.673662, 41.831781)
End: Henry Avenue (-87.883408, 42.033456)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 56 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 09m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 52m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 41m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 34m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 29m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 26m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.23 gal
4.64 L · about $5.67
Round trip
$11.33
2.46 gal · 9.28 L
Estimated CO2
10.9 kg one way
Round trip: 21.9 kg / 48 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.61 $5.67 $11.33
Mid-grade $5.24 $6.45 $12.89
Premium $5.79 $7.13 $14.25
Diesel $6.59 $8.11 $16.22

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 · Nov 06, 2026

There is no time difference between McKinley Park and Des Plaines. The current time is 07:51:38.

Distance to Other Cities

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