Drive or Fly: Aurora, IL to Avon, 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–BRL. At 184 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 32m

Distance

184.4 mi

Total Cost

$76

CO2

74 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$41

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 51m

16m in the air

Air Distance

133 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

34 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Aurora, IL → ORD 39m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BRL → Avon, IL 56m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

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

Avon, IL BRL — Southeast Iowa Regional Airport 37 mi, ~56m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORD and BRL. 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

4h 11m

2h 49m on rail

Total Cost

$32

CO2

9 kg

Route

Carl Sandburg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Aurora, IL → Naperville Amtrak Station 14m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 169m

Arrival 10m

Macomb Amtrak Station → Avon, IL 28m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $32) $32

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

Stations

From Naperville Amtrak Station 9 mi, ~14m drive

To Macomb Amtrak Station 19 mi, ~28m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 23m

3h 20m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Aurora, IL → Naperville (Route 59 Metra Station) (NEM6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 200m

Arrival 10m

Moline Center Station (Metrolink) (MOL6) → Avon, IL 88m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From NEM6 — Naperville (Route 59 Metra Station) 6 mi, ~10m drive

To MOL6 — Moline Center Station (Metrolink) 58 mi, ~88m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 32m	3h 51m	4h 11m	5h 23m
Total cost (1 person)	$76	$125	$32	$13
Carbon footprint	74 kg CO₂	34 kg CO₂	9 kg CO₂	7 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, FlixBus 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 15, 2026.

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