Drive or Fly: Chicago, IL to Avon, 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 MDW–BRL. At 216 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 16m

Distance

216.9 mi

Total Cost

$83

CO2

88 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$48

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 26m

20m in the air

Air Distance

166 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

42 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chicago, IL → MDW 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BRL → Avon, IL 56m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Chicago, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

Avon, IL BRL — Southeast Iowa Regional Airport 37 mi, ~56m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MDW and BRL. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 42m

3h 24m on rail

Total Cost

$37

CO2

11 kg

Route

Carl Sandburg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chicago, IL → Chicago Union Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 204m

Arrival 10m

Macomb Amtrak Station → Avon, IL 28m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $37) $37

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

Stations

From Chicago Union Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

To Macomb Amtrak Station 19 mi, ~28m 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

6h 26m

4h 23m on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chicago, IL → Chicago Bus Station (CHD6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 263m

Arrival 10m

Moline Center Station (Metrolink) (MOL6) → Avon, IL 88m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From CHD6 — Chicago Bus Station 2 mi, ~10m drive

To MOL6 — Moline Center Station (Metrolink) 58 mi, ~88m 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	4h 16m	3h 26m	4h 42m	6h 26m
Total cost (1 person)	$83	$182	$37	$17
Carbon footprint	88 kg CO₂	42 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	9 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

216.9 mi 4h 15m

via I 80, I 55, IL 110

Shortest (+7 min)

214.1 mi 4h 22m

via I 55, IL 116, I 74

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