Drive or Fly: Morton Grove, IL to Bloomington, MN?

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 ORD–MSP. At 406 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 35m

Distance

406.6 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

164 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$90

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

− Driver fatigue on longer stretches

− Wear and tear on vehicle

− Fuel price fluctuations

Plan the drive

Fly

Door to Door

3h 2m

41m in the air

Air Distance

338 mi

Total Cost

$189

CO2

86 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Morton Grove, IL → ORD 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 41m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MSP → Bloomington, MN 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $134) $134

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Morton Grove, IL ORD — Chicago O'Hare International Airport 8 mi, ~11m drive

Bloomington, MN MSP — Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORD and MSP. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 4h 33m 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

8h 21m

7h 12m on rail

Total Cost

$66

CO2

19 kg

Route

Borealis

Door-to-Door Timeline

Morton Grove, IL → Glenview Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 432m

Arrival 10m

St. Paul-Minneapolis → Bloomington, MN 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $66) $66

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

Stations

From Glenview Amtrak Station 3 mi, ~10m drive

To St. Paul-Minneapolis 13 mi, ~19m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~3/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ Scenic views along the route

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 3 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

11h 55m

11h 5m on road

Total Cost

$38

CO2

20 kg

Route

Greyhound US0150S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Morton Grove, IL → Chicago (Cumberland Farms) (CUA6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 665m

Arrival 10m

Minneapolis Bus Station (MSD6) → Bloomington, MN 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $38) $38

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

Stations

From CUA6 — Chicago (Cumberland Farms) 5 mi, ~10m drive

To MSD6 — Minneapolis Bus Station 10 mi, ~15m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/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

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− 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	7h 35m	3h 2m	8h 21m	11h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$125	$189	$66	$38
Carbon footprint	164 kg CO₂	86 kg CO₂	19 kg CO₂	20 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 14, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Morton Grove, IL to Bloomington, MN with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.