Drive or Fly: Aurora, IL to Hinckley, 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–RFD. At 17 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

29m

Distance

17.2 mi

Total Cost

$39

CO2

7 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$4

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 38m

2m in the air

Air Distance

17 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Aurora, IL → ORD 39m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RFD → Hinckley, IL 57m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

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

Hinckley, IL RFD — Chicago Rockford International Airport 38 mi, ~57m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORD and RFD. 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 29m

21m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Carl Sandburg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Aurora, IL → Naperville Amtrak Station 14m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 21m

Arrival 10m

Plano Amtrak Station → Hinckley, IL 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From Naperville Amtrak Station 9 mi, ~14m drive

To Plano Amtrak Station 9 mi, ~14m 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

1h 40m

45m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 45m

Arrival 10m

Dekalb (Holmes Student Center) (DKB6) → Hinckley, IL 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

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

To DKB6 — Dekalb (Holmes Student Center) 13 mi, ~20m 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	29m	3h 38m	1h 29m	1h 40m
Total cost (1 person)	$39	$121	$4	$3
Carbon footprint	7 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	1 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, 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

17.2 mi 29m

via US 30, West Galena Boulevard

Alternative (+3 min)

21.6 mi 32m

via US 30

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