Drive or Fly: Buffalo Grove, IL to Decatur, 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–DEC. At 192 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 51m

Distance

192.9 mi

Total Cost

$78

CO2

78 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$43

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

2h 48m

20m in the air

Air Distance

168 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

43 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Buffalo Grove, IL → ORD 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DEC → Decatur, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Buffalo Grove, IL ORD — Chicago O'Hare International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

Decatur, IL DEC — Decatur Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORD and DEC. 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 51m	2h 48m
Total cost (1 person)	$78	$127
Carbon footprint	78 kg CO₂	43 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.

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