Drive or Fly: Saint Joseph, IL to Aurora, 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 CMI–ORD. At 134 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 42m

Distance

134.7 mi

Total Cost

$65

CO2

54 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$30

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 13m

14m in the air

Air Distance

115 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

29 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Joseph, IL → CMI 20m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ORD → Aurora, IL 39m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Saint Joseph, IL CMI — University of Illinois Willard Airport 13 mi, ~20m drive

Aurora, IL ORD — Chicago O'Hare International Airport 26 mi, ~39m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CMI 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	2h 42m	3h 13m
Total cost (1 person)	$65	$125
Carbon footprint	54 kg CO₂	29 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

134.8 mi 3h 8m

via IL 9; IL 47, I 74, IL 47

Alternative (+0 min)

145.2 mi 3h 8m

via I 57, I 55, IL 113

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