Drive or Fly: Elgin, IL to Burgess, 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 ORD–MLI. At 171 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 40m

Distance

171.5 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

3h 21m

16m in the air

Air Distance

137 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Elgin, IL → ORD 30m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MLI → Burgess, IL 35m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Elgin, IL ORD — Chicago O'Hare International Airport 20 mi, ~30m drive

Burgess, IL MLI — Quad City International Airport 23 mi, ~35m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORD and MLI. 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 41m

2h 3m on rail

Total Cost

$26

CO2

7 kg

Route

Southwest Chief

Door-to-Door Timeline

Elgin, IL → Naperville Amtrak Station 29m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 123m

Arrival 10m

Galesburg Amtrak Station → Burgess, IL 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From Naperville Amtrak Station 19 mi, ~29m drive

To Galesburg Amtrak Station 19 mi, ~29m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~4/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 4 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 52m

3h 20m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Elgin, IL → Naperville (Route 59 Metra Station) (NEM6) 27m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 200m

Arrival 10m

Moline Center Station (Metrolink) (MOL6) → Burgess, IL 40m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From NEM6 — Naperville (Route 59 Metra Station) 18 mi, ~27m drive

To MOL6 — Moline Center Station (Metrolink) 27 mi, ~40m 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	3h 40m	3h 21m	3h 41m	4h 52m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$125	$26	$13
Carbon footprint	69 kg CO₂	35 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	7 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

171.5 mi 3h 39m

via I 88; IL 110, IL 110, IL 38

Alternative (+7 min)

189 mi 3h 47m

via I 88; IL 110, I 90, I 39; US 51

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