Drive or Fly: Delavan Lake, WI to West Allis, WI?

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 RFD–MKE. At 51 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 9m

Distance

51.1 mi

Total Cost

$46

CO2

21 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$11

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 10m

5m in the air

Air Distance

44 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Delavan Lake, WI → RFD 54m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MKE → West Allis, WI 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Delavan Lake, WI RFD — Chicago Rockford International Airport 36 mi, ~54m drive

West Allis, WI MKE — General Mitchell International Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RFD and MKE. 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

2h 16m

29m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Hiawatha Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Delavan Lake, WI → Sturtevant Amtrak Station 57m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 29m

Arrival 10m

Milwaukee → West Allis, WI 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From Sturtevant Amtrak Station 38 mi, ~57m drive

To Milwaukee 5 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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 7 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	1h 9m	3h 10m	2h 16m
Total cost (1 person)	$46	$122	$4
Carbon footprint	21 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	1 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Delavan Lake, WI to West Allis, WI with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.