Drive or Fly: Knoxville, IL to Naperville, 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 PIA–ORD. At 172 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 12m

Distance

172.2 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

70 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$38

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 35m

15m in the air

Air Distance

126 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

32 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Knoxville, IL → PIA 53m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ORD → Naperville, IL 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Knoxville, IL PIA — General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport 35 mi, ~53m drive

Naperville, IL ORD — Chicago O'Hare International Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PIA and ORD. 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

3h 6m

2h 6m on rail

Total Cost

$26

CO2

7 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Knoxville, IL → Galesburg Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 126m

Arrival 10m

Naperville Amtrak Station → Naperville, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $26) $26

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

Stations

From Galesburg Amtrak Station 5 mi, ~10m drive

To Naperville Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~10m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 3m

3h 23m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Knoxville, IL → Moline Center Station (Metrolink) (MOL6) 65m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 203m

Arrival 10m

Naperville (Route 59 Metra Station) (NEM6) → Naperville, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From MOL6 — Moline Center Station (Metrolink) 43 mi, ~65m drive

To NEM6 — Naperville (Route 59 Metra Station) 3 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 12m	3h 35m	3h 6m	5h 3m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$125	$26	$13
Carbon footprint	70 kg CO₂	32 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	7 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, FlixBus 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

172.2 mi 3h 11m

via IL 110, I 74

Shortest (+13 min)

166.6 mi 3h 24m

via I 80, I 74, IL 71

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