Drive or Fly: Mount Sterling, 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 UIN–ORD. At 260 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 20m

Distance

260.5 mi

Total Cost

$93

CO2

105 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$58

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 28m

23m in the air

Air Distance

192 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

49 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Sterling, IL → UIN 35m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 23m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ORD → Elgin, IL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Mount Sterling, IL UIN — Quincy Regional Airport Baldwin Field 23 mi, ~35m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between UIN 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 42m

3h 45m on rail

Total Cost

$42

CO2

12 kg

Route

Carl Sandburg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Sterling, IL → Quincy Amtrak Station 48m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 225m

Arrival 10m

Naperville Amtrak Station → Elgin, IL 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $42) $42

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

Stations

From Quincy Amtrak Station 32 mi, ~48m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	5h 20m	3h 28m	5h 42m
Total cost (1 person)	$93	$183	$42
Carbon footprint	105 kg CO₂	49 kg CO₂	12 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 — 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

260.5 mi 5h 20m

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

Shortest (+3 min)

237.3 mi 5h 23m

via IL 29, US 24, I 80

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