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Drive or Fly: Spring Garden, IL to Elk Grove, 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 MWA–ORD. At 304 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 54m

Distance

304.8 mi

Total Cost

$102

CO2

123 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$67
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 27m

32m in the air

Air Distance

270 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

69 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Spring Garden, IL → MWA 45m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 32m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
ORD → Elk Grove, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Spring Garden, IL MWA — Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois 30 mi, ~45m drive
Elk Grove, IL ORD — Chicago O'Hare International Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MWA and ORD. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 27m compared to driving
+ 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

At a Glance

Drive Fly
Door-to-door time 5h 54m 3h 27m
Total cost (1 person) $102 $186
Carbon footprint 123 kg CO2 69 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest
304.8 mi 5h 53m

via I 57, I 294, South York Road

Alternative (+11 min)
306.8 mi 6h 5m

via I 57, I 355, US 45; US 52

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Spring Garden, IL to Elk Grove, IL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.