Drive or Fly: Waukegan, IL to Athens, 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 ORD–SPI. At 225 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 24m

Distance

225.2 mi

Total Cost

$85

CO2

91 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$50

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 16m

23m in the air

Air Distance

193 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

49 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Waukegan, IL → ORD 40m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 23m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SPI → Athens, IL 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Athens, IL SPI — Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport 8 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORD and SPI. 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	4h 24m	3h 16m
Total cost (1 person)	$85	$183
Carbon footprint	91 kg CO₂	49 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 12, 2026.

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