Drive or Fly: Bushnell, IL to Aurora, 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 BRL–ORD. At 194 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 11m

Distance

194.3 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

3h 50m

17m in the air

Air Distance

141 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

36 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bushnell, IL → BRL 54m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ORD → Aurora, IL 39m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Bushnell, IL BRL — Southeast Iowa Regional Airport 36 mi, ~54m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BRL and ORD. 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 6m

2h 56m on rail

Total Cost

$32

CO2

9 kg

Route

Carl Sandburg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bushnell, IL → Macomb Amtrak Station 16m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 176m

Arrival 10m

Naperville Amtrak Station → Aurora, IL 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $32) $32

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

Stations

From Macomb Amtrak Station 11 mi, ~16m drive

To Naperville 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

5h 37m

3h 23m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bushnell, IL → Moline Center Station (Metrolink) (MOL6) 99m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 203m

Arrival 10m

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

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From MOL6 — Moline Center Station (Metrolink) 66 mi, ~99m drive

To NEM6 — Naperville (Route 59 Metra Station) 6 mi, ~10m 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 11m	3h 50m	4h 6m	5h 37m
Total cost (1 person)	$78	$126	$32	$13
Carbon footprint	78 kg CO₂	36 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 Bushnell, IL to Aurora, IL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.