Drive or Fly: Palatine, IL to Freeport, 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 ORD–RFD. At 91 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 49m

Distance

91.7 mi

Total Cost

$55

CO2

37 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$20

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 9m

10m in the air

Air Distance

82 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

21 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Palatine, IL → ORD 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RFD → Freeport, IL 42m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Palatine, IL ORD — Chicago O'Hare International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

Freeport, IL RFD — Chicago Rockford International Airport 28 mi, ~42m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORD and RFD. 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	1h 49m	3h 9m
Total cost (1 person)	$55	$123
Carbon footprint	37 kg CO₂	21 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

91.7 mi 1h 48m

via I 90, US 20, US 20 Business

Alternative (+14 min)

92 mi 2h 2m

via US 20, I 90, IL 62

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