Drive or Fly: Mount Carroll, IL to Elgin, 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 DBQ–ORD. At 101 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 49m

Distance

101.3 mi

Total Cost

$57

CO2

41 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$22

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 45m

10m in the air

Air Distance

87 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

22 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Carroll, IL → DBQ 65m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ORD → Elgin, IL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Mount Carroll, IL DBQ — Dubuque Regional Airport 43 mi, ~65m drive

Elgin, IL ORD — Chicago O'Hare International Airport 20 mi, ~30m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DBQ 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 49m

1h 16m on rail

Total Cost

$15

CO2

4 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Carroll, IL → Princeton Amtrak Station 84m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 76m

Arrival 10m

Naperville Amtrak Station → Elgin, IL 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From Princeton Amtrak Station 56 mi, ~84m drive

To Naperville Amtrak Station 19 mi, ~29m 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

3h 44m

2h 3m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Carroll, IL → Dixon Reagan Transit Center (DIX6) 49m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 123m

Arrival 10m

Naperville (Route 59 Metra Station) (NEM6) → Elgin, IL 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From DIX6 — Dixon Reagan Transit Center 33 mi, ~49m drive

To NEM6 — Naperville (Route 59 Metra Station) 18 mi, ~27m 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	1h 49m	3h 45m	3h 49m	3h 44m
Total cost (1 person)	$57	$123	$15	$7
Carbon footprint	41 kg CO₂	22 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	4 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 15, 2026.

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