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

The driving distance from Palos Heights, IL to Chicago, IL is about 23.7 miles (38.1 km), with a travel time of about 00h 35m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 14.7 miles (23.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 11m 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
23.65 mi
00h 35m
Flight
14.66 mi
23.6 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Palos Heights.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
14.66 mi
Kilometers
23.6 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
23.65 mi
Kilometers
38.06 km
Drive Time
00h 35m

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 35m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Chicago
Wed, Apr 22, 11:15 PM CDT
Return by in Palos Heights
Wed, Apr 22, 11:51 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Palos Heights
2026-04-22T22:39
Arrive Chicago
Wed, Apr 22, 11:15 PM CDT
Route Timing
00h 35m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:36 AM to 7:36 PM CDT

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

Leave by
7:18 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Palos Heights
10:00 PM CDT
Flexible departure

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
Hometown
IL

City in Cook County, Illinois, United States

From Palos Heights
9.2 mi
00h 17m
To Chicago
14.5 mi
00h 17m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
74°F
Wednesday

Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 mph ENE
Destination
64°F
Wednesday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Wed, Apr 22 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
5 mph NE

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    13 m · 6 sec

  2. 2

    Turn right onto West 123rd Street

    15 m · 6 sec · West 123rd Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Harlem Avenue

    2.1 mi · 3 min · Harlem Avenue

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Southwest Highway

    2.5 mi · 4 min · Southwest Highway

  5. 5

    Continue on West 93rd Street

    1.2 mi · 2 min · West 93rd Street

  6. 6

    Turn left onto South Cicero Avenue

    6.5 mi · 11 min · South Cicero Avenue

  7. 7

    Take the ramp right toward I 55 North: Chicago

    2308 ft · 56 sec

  8. 8

    Merge slight left onto Stevenson Expressway

    2.9 mi · 4 min · Stevenson Expressway

  9. 9

    Take the exit slight right toward Damen Avenue, Ashland Avenue

    912 ft · 24 sec

  10. 10

    Keep slight left to continue on Damen Avenue

    1372 ft · 34 sec

  11. 11

    Keep slight left to continue on Ashland Market Place, South Damen Avenue

    134 m · 13 sec

  12. 12

    Turn straight onto South Damen Avenue

    1.2 km · 1 min · South Damen Avenue

  13. 13

    Turn right onto South Blue Island Avenue

    2973 ft · 2 min · South Blue Island Avenue

  14. 14

    Turn right onto West Cermak Road

    1.3 km · 2 min · West Cermak Road

  15. 15

    Turn right

    46 m · 11 sec

  16. 16

    Turn right

    794 ft · 58 sec

  17. 17

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec

Car Route Details

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

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
17 steps
9 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
72 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
South Cicero Avenue
6.46 mi · 27%
Stevenson Expressway
2.85 mi · 12%
Southwest Highway
2.47 mi · 10%
Harlem Avenue
2.09 mi · 9%
West 93rd Street
1.19 mi · 5%
West Cermak Road
0.83 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

South Cicero Avenue

Turn left onto South Cicero Avenue

6.46 mi · 00h 11m

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 35m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 12m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+9 mi
14.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Hometown
00h 17m from Palos Heights
Leave By
7:18 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Sunny leaving Palos Heights and Mostly Sunny near Chicago.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

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

The road trip is about 23.7 miles (38.1 km) and usually takes 00h 35m 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?

Hometown is a useful midpoint, sitting about 9.2 miles from Palos Heights and 14.5 miles from Chicago.

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

The direct path is about 14.7 miles (23.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 9 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 7:18 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.13 one way or $6.26 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 7.4 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Sunny around Palos Heights and Mostly Sunny near Chicago.

Stop Ideas Near Hometown

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

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

RAIL

Summit

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

La Grange Road

15 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Chicago Union Station

18 mi away
225 South Canal Street
RAIL

Hammond–Whiting station

19 mi away
1135 South Calumet Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Palos Heights and Chicago. Straight-line distance: 14.66 mi (23.6 km).

Palos Heights

#1 Palos Heights

City in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Population12,375
Coordinates41.6680900, -87.7964400
Altitude190
CountryUnited States
Chicago

#2 Chicago

The third most populous city in the United States and the center of the Chicago metropolitan area.

Population2,677,643
Coordinates41.850033, -87.6500523
Altitude179
CountryUnited States
Start: (-87.796368, 41.668119)
End: (-87.650099, 41.850032)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 38 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 47m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 35m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 28m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 23m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 20m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 17m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.83 gal
3.16 L · about $3.13
Round trip
$6.26
1.66 gal · 6.32 L
Estimated CO2
7.4 kg one way
Round trip: 14.8 kg / 33 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $3.13 $6.26
Mid-grade $4.25 $3.53 $7.06
Premium $4.65 $3.86 $7.73
Diesel $5.30 $4.40 $8.80

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 23, 2026

There is no time difference between Palos Heights and Chicago. The current time is 22:39:52.

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.