Drive or Fly: Elgin, IL to Paris, 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–CMI. At 225 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 42m

Distance

225.5 mi

Total Cost

$85

CO2

91 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$50

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 54m

20m in the air

Air Distance

170 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

43 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Elgin, IL → ORD 30m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CMI → Paris, IL 64m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Paris, IL CMI — University of Illinois Willard Airport 43 mi, ~64m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORD and CMI. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	4h 42m	3h 54m
Total cost (1 person)	$85	$182
Carbon footprint	91 kg CO₂	43 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

225.5 mi 4h 42m

via I 57, I 74, US 150; IL 1

Shortest (+6 min)

208.7 mi 4h 48m

via US 41, US 150; IL 1, I 294

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