Drive or Fly: Jonesboro, IL to Rockford, 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 CGI–RFD. At 373 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 13m

Distance

373.5 mi

Total Cost

$117

CO2

151 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$82

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 24m

40m in the air

Air Distance

333 mi

Total Cost

$188

CO2

85 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Jonesboro, IL → CGI 34m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 40m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RFD → Rockford, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $133) $133

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Jonesboro, IL CGI — Cape Girardeau Regional Airport 23 mi, ~34m drive

Rockford, IL RFD — Chicago Rockford International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CGI and RFD. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 49m 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 13m	3h 24m
Total cost (1 person)	$117	$188
Carbon footprint	151 kg CO₂	85 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 15, 2026.

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