Drive or Fly: Elgin, IL to Deer Park, 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–PIA. At 78 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 2m

Distance

78.2 mi

Total Cost

$52

CO2

32 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$17

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

4h 1m

8m in the air

Air Distance

64 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Elgin, IL → ORD 30m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

PIA → Deer Park, IL 83m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

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

Deer Park, IL PIA — General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport 55 mi, ~83m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORD and PIA. 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 25m

49m on rail

Total Cost

$11

CO2

3 kg

Route

Carl Sandburg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Elgin, IL → Naperville Amtrak Station 29m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 49m

Arrival 10m

Mendota Amtrak Station → Deer Park, IL 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From Naperville Amtrak Station 19 mi, ~29m drive

To Mendota Amtrak Station 18 mi, ~27m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	2h 2m	4h 1m	2h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$52	$123	$11
Carbon footprint	32 kg CO₂	16 kg CO₂	3 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

78.2 mi 2h 1m

via IL 71, I 80, CR 83

Alternative (+1 min)

80.7 mi 2h 2m

via IL 71, I 80, CR 77

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