Drive or Fly: Carbon Cliff, IL to Rockford, 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 MLI–RFD. At 115 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 11m

Distance

115.7 mi

Total Cost

$61

CO2

47 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$26

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 30m

10m in the air

Air Distance

86 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

22 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Carbon Cliff, IL → MLI 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RFD → Rockford, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Carbon Cliff, IL MLI — Quad City International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

Rockford, IL RFD — Chicago Rockford International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MLI 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

3h 24m

45m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Carl Sandburg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Carbon Cliff, IL → Kewanee Amtrak Station 44m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 45m

Arrival 10m

Mendota Amtrak Station → Rockford, IL 75m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From Kewanee Amtrak Station 30 mi, ~44m drive

To Mendota Amtrak Station 50 mi, ~75m 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	2h 11m	2h 30m	3h 24m
Total cost (1 person)	$61	$123	$9
Carbon footprint	47 kg CO₂	22 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 13, 2026.

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