Drive or Fly: East Peoria, IL to Arlington Heights, 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 PIA–ORD. At 170 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 18m

Distance

170.2 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

69 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$38

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 38m

15m in the air

Air Distance

129 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

33 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

East Peoria, IL → PIA 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ORD → Arlington Heights, IL 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

East Peoria, IL PIA — General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

Arlington Heights, IL ORD — Chicago O'Hare International Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PIA 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	3h 18m	2h 38m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$125
Carbon footprint	69 kg CO₂	33 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from East Peoria, IL to Arlington Heights, IL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.