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Drive or Fly: Elk Grove, IL to Somerset, 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–MWA. At 355 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 6m

Distance

355.8 mi

Total Cost

$114

CO2

144 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$79
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 33m

36m in the air

Air Distance

302 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

77 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Elk Grove, IL → ORD 10m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 36m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
MWA → Somerset, IL 47m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Elk Grove, IL ORD — Chicago O'Hare International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive
Somerset, IL MWA — Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois 31 mi, ~47m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORD and MWA. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 33m compared to driving
+ 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 7h 6m 3h 33m
Total cost (1 person) $114 $187
Carbon footprint 144 kg CO2 77 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
355.8 mi 7h 6m

via I 57, IL 34, I 294

Alternative (+24 min)
365.2 mi 7h 31m

via I 57, I 55, IL 34

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