Drive or Fly: Waukegan, IL to Mount Carroll, 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–DBQ. At 139 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 16m

Distance

139.6 mi

Total Cost

$66

CO2

56 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$31

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 58m

13m in the air

Air Distance

111 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

28 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Waukegan, IL → ORD 40m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DBQ → Mount Carroll, IL 65m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

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

Mount Carroll, IL DBQ — Dubuque Regional Airport 43 mi, ~65m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORD and DBQ. 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 16m	3h 58m
Total cost (1 person)	$66	$124
Carbon footprint	56 kg CO₂	28 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.

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