Drive or Fly: Carbondale, IL to Elk Grove, 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 MWA–ORD. At 344 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 33m

Distance

344.8 mi

Total Cost

$111

CO2

139 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$76

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 3m

36m in the air

Air Distance

303 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

77 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Carbondale, IL → MWA 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 36m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ORD → Elk Grove, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Carbondale, IL MWA — Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois 11 mi, ~17m drive

Elk Grove, IL ORD — Chicago O'Hare International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MWA and ORD. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 30m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	6h 33m	3h 3m
Total cost (1 person)	$111	$187
Carbon footprint	139 kg CO₂	77 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 14, 2026.

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