Drive or Fly: Elgin, IL to Saint Joseph, 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 169 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 26m

Distance

169.5 mi

Total Cost

$72

CO2

68 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$37

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 6m

16m in the air

Air Distance

134 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

34 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Elgin, IL → ORD 30m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CMI → Saint Joseph, IL 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

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

Saint Joseph, IL CMI — University of Illinois Willard Airport 13 mi, ~20m 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	3h 26m	3h 6m
Total cost (1 person)	$72	$125
Carbon footprint	68 kg CO₂	34 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

169.5 mi 3h 26m

via I 57, US 20, I 294

Alternative (+13 min)

174.4 mi 3h 40m

via I 57, I 55, I 355

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