Drive or Fly: Mount Vernon, IL to Rockford, 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 MWA–RFD. At 304 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 58m

Distance

304.1 mi

Total Cost

$102

CO2

123 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$67

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 42m

33m in the air

Air Distance

273 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

70 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Vernon, IL → MWA 59m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 33m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RFD → Rockford, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Mount Vernon, IL MWA — Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois 40 mi, ~59m drive

Rockford, IL RFD — Chicago Rockford International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MWA and RFD. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 16m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	5h 58m	3h 42m
Total cost (1 person)	$102	$186
Carbon footprint	123 kg CO₂	70 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

304.1 mi 5h 57m

via US 51, US 51 Business, I 57

Alternative (+48 min)

360.7 mi 6h 46m

via I 57, I 90, I 294

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