Drive or Fly: Atwood, IL to Wheaton, 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 CMI–ORD. At 174 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 35m

Distance

174.2 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

70 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$38

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 6m

17m in the air

Air Distance

144 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Atwood, IL → CMI 29m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ORD → Wheaton, IL 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Atwood, IL CMI — University of Illinois Willard Airport 19 mi, ~29m drive

Wheaton, IL ORD — Chicago O'Hare International Airport 13 mi, ~20m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CMI 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	3h 35m	3h 6m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$126
Carbon footprint	70 kg CO₂	37 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

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

174.2 mi 3h 35m

via I 57, I 355, US 45; US 52

Shortest (+12 min)

154.9 mi 3h 47m

via IL 9; IL 47, I 55, IL 47

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