Drive or Fly: Aurora, IL to La Salle, 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–PIA. At 56 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 19m

Distance

56.7 mi

Total Cost

$48

CO2

23 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$13

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

4h 9m

6m in the air

Air Distance

50 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

13 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Aurora, IL → ORD 39m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PIA → La Salle, IL 84m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

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

La Salle, IL PIA — General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport 56 mi, ~84m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORD and PIA. 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

2h 6m

49m on rail

Total Cost

$11

CO2

3 kg

Route

Carl Sandburg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Aurora, IL → Naperville Amtrak Station 14m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 49m

Arrival 10m

Mendota Amtrak Station → La Salle, IL 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From Naperville Amtrak Station 9 mi, ~14m drive

To Mendota Amtrak Station 15 mi, ~23m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	1h 19m	4h 9m	2h 6m
Total cost (1 person)	$48	$122	$11
Carbon footprint	23 kg CO₂	13 kg CO₂	3 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 16, 2026.

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