Drive or Fly: Rock Island, IL to Waukegan, 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–ORD. At 198 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 59m

Distance

198.2 mi

Total Cost

$79

CO2

80 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$44

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 8m

18m in the air

Air Distance

152 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

39 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rock Island, IL → MLI 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ORD → Waukegan, IL 40m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

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

Waukegan, IL ORD — Chicago O'Hare International Airport 27 mi, ~40m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MLI 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	3h 59m	3h 8m
Total cost (1 person)	$79	$126
Carbon footprint	80 kg CO₂	39 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 14, 2026.

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