Drive or Fly: Lake of the Woods, IL to Evanston, 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 CMI–ORD. At 152 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 5m

Distance

152 mi

Total Cost

$69

CO2

61 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$34

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 53m

16m in the air

Air Distance

132 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

34 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Lake of the Woods, IL → CMI 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ORD → Evanston, IL 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Lake of the Woods, IL CMI — University of Illinois Willard Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

Evanston, IL ORD — Chicago O'Hare International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CMI 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	3h 5m	2h 53m
Total cost (1 person)	$69	$125
Carbon footprint	61 kg CO₂	34 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Lake of the Woods, IL to Evanston, IL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.