Drive or Fly: Elgin, IL to Lake in the Hills, 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–ORD. At 12 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

22m

Distance

12.6 mi

Total Cost

$38

CO2

5 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$3

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

1m in the air

Air Distance

10 mi

Total Cost

$120

CO2

3 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Elgin, IL → ORD 30m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 1m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ORD → Lake in the Hills, IL 39m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $120) $120

Airports

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

Lake in the Hills, IL ORD — Chicago O'Hare International Airport 26 mi, ~39m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORD 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 19m

45m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 45m

Arrival 10m

Dekalb (Holmes Student Center) (DKB6) → Lake in the Hills, IL 42m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $3) $3

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

Stations

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

To DKB6 — Dekalb (Holmes Student Center) 28 mi, ~42m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	22m	3h 10m	2h 19m
Total cost (1 person)	$38	$120	$3
Carbon footprint	5 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	2 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: 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 15, 2026.

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