Drive or Fly: Rock Island, 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 MLI–RFD. At 138 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 9m

Distance

138.1 mi

Total Cost

$66

CO2

56 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$31

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

2h 31m

11m in the air

Air Distance

93 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

24 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rock Island, IL → MLI 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RFD → Rockford, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Rock Island, IL MLI — Quad City International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MLI 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 38m

45m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Carl Sandburg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rock Island, IL → Kewanee Amtrak Station 58m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 45m

Arrival 10m

Mendota Amtrak Station → Rockford, IL 75m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From Kewanee Amtrak Station 38 mi, ~58m drive

To Mendota Amtrak Station 50 mi, ~75m 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	2h 9m	2h 31m	3h 38m
Total cost (1 person)	$66	$124	$9
Carbon footprint	56 kg CO₂	24 kg CO₂	3 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 12, 2026.

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