Drive or Fly: Rockford, IL to Arthur, 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 RFD–DEC. At 210 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 9m

Distance

210.7 mi

Total Cost

$82

CO2

85 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$47

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 6m

22m in the air

Air Distance

180 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

46 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rockford, IL → RFD 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 22m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DEC → Arthur, IL 34m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Arthur, IL DEC — Decatur Airport 23 mi, ~34m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RFD and DEC. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 15m

3h 55m on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US0145S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rockford, IL → Rockford(East Side Transfer Center) (RFE6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 235m

Arrival 10m

Champaign Intermodal Trans Ctr (CPN6) → Arthur, IL 45m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From RFE6 — Rockford(East Side Transfer Center) 7 mi, ~10m drive

To CPN6 — Champaign Intermodal Trans Ctr 30 mi, ~45m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	4h 9m	3h 6m	5h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$82	$182	$17
Carbon footprint	85 kg CO₂	46 kg CO₂	9 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: FlixBus 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 Rockford, IL to Arthur, IL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.