Drive or Fly: Aurora, IL to Machesney Park, 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 76 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 31m

Distance

76.9 mi

Total Cost

$52

CO2

31 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$17

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 2m

7m in the air

Air Distance

55 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

14 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Aurora, IL → ORD 39m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RFD → Machesney Park, IL 16m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

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

Machesney Park, IL RFD — Chicago Rockford International Airport 11 mi, ~16m 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

2h 36m

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 → Machesney Park, IL 81m

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 54 mi, ~81m 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 31m	3h 2m	2h 36m
Total cost (1 person)	$52	$122	$4
Carbon footprint	31 kg CO₂	14 kg CO₂	1 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

76.9 mi 1h 31m

via I 88; IL 110, I 39; US 51, I 39; I 90; US 51

Shortest (+3 min)

68.8 mi 1h 34m

via I 90, CR 34

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