Drive or Fly: Albany Park, IL to Aurora, 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 ORD–ORD. At 43 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 4m

Distance

43.4 mi

Total Cost

$45

CO2

18 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$10

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

2h 57m

4m in the air

Air Distance

34 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

9 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Albany Park, IL → ORD 14m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 4m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ORD → Aurora, IL 39m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Albany Park, IL ORD — Chicago O'Hare International Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive

Aurora, IL ORD — Chicago O'Hare International Airport 26 mi, ~39m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORD and ORD. 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

1h 35m

30m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Albany Park, IL → Chicago Union Station 11m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 30m

Arrival 10m

Naperville Amtrak Station → Aurora, IL 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From Chicago Union Station 8 mi, ~11m drive

To Naperville Amtrak Station 9 mi, ~14m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 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	1h 4m	2h 57m	1h 35m
Total cost (1 person)	$45	$121	$5
Carbon footprint	18 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	2 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 — 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

43.4 mi 1h 3m

via I 88; IL 110, I 290; IL 110, North Pulaski Road

Alternative (+2 min)

43.5 mi 1h 6m

via I 88; IL 110, I 294

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Albany Park, IL to Aurora, IL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.