Drive or Fly: La Harpe, IL to Chicago, 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 BRL–MDW. At 253 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 57m

Distance

253.1 mi

Total Cost

$91

CO2

102 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$56

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 57m

23m in the air

Air Distance

193 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

49 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

La Harpe, IL → BRL 24m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 23m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MDW → Chicago, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

La Harpe, IL BRL — Southeast Iowa Regional Airport 16 mi, ~24m drive

Chicago, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BRL and MDW. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 26m

4h 11m on rail

Total Cost

$39

CO2

11 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

La Harpe, IL → Burlington Amtrak Station 25m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 251m

Arrival 10m

Chicago Union Station → Chicago, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $39) $39

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

Stations

From Burlington Amtrak Station 17 mi, ~25m drive

To Chicago Union Station 2 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

6h 45m

4h 28m on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

La Harpe, IL → Davenport (Ground Transportation) (DAV6) 102m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 268m

Arrival 10m

Chicago Bus Station (CHD6) → Chicago, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From DAV6 — Davenport (Ground Transportation) 68 mi, ~102m drive

To CHD6 — Chicago Bus Station 2 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	4h 57m	2h 57m	5h 26m	6h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$91	$183	$39	$17
Carbon footprint	102 kg CO₂	49 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	9 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

253.1 mi 4h 56m

via I 80, US 67; IL 110, I 55

Alternative (+2 min)

256.9 mi 4h 59m

via IL 110, US 67; IL 110, IL 9

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