Drive or Fly: Hampton, IL to Oak Grove, 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 MLI–MLI. At 18 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

29m

Distance

18.4 mi

Total Cost

$39

CO2

7 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$4

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

2h 26m

2m in the air

Air Distance

13 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

3 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hampton, IL → MLI 14m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MLI → Oak Grove, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Hampton, IL MLI — Quad City International Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive

Oak Grove, IL MLI — Quad City International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MLI and MLI. 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 52m

32m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Carl Sandburg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hampton, IL → Kewanee Amtrak Station 49m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 32m

Arrival 10m

Galesburg Amtrak Station → Oak Grove, IL 51m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From Kewanee Amtrak Station 33 mi, ~49m drive

To Galesburg Amtrak Station 34 mi, ~51m 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	29m	2h 26m	2h 52m
Total cost (1 person)	$39	$121	$6
Carbon footprint	7 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: 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

18.4 mi 29m

via IL 5; IL 92, Milan Beltway

Shortest (+0 min)

16.3 mi 30m

via IL 5, Milan Beltway

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