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Drive or Fly: Milan, IL to Hoffman Estates, 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–ORD. At 170 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 13m

Distance

170.3 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

69 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

2h 41m

16m in the air

Air Distance

135 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

34 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Milan, IL → MLI 10m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 16m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
ORD → Hoffman Estates, IL 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Milan, IL MLI — Quad City International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive
Hoffman Estates, IL ORD — Chicago O'Hare International Airport 10 mi, ~15m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MLI 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 13m 2h 41m
Total cost (1 person) $73 $125
Carbon footprint 69 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest
170.3 mi 3h 12m

via I 90, I 88; IL 92, I 88; IL 110

Shortest (+0 min)
157.9 mi 3h 13m

via I 88; IL 110, I 88; IL 92, I 90

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