Drive or Fly: Waukegan, IL to New 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–BLV. At 342 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 44m

Distance

342.6 mi

Total Cost

$111

CO2

138 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$76

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 39m

36m in the air

Air Distance

299 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

76 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Waukegan, IL → ORD 40m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 36m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BLV → New Athens, IL 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

New Athens, IL BLV — Scott AFB/Midamerica Airport 15 mi, ~23m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 3h 5m 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	6h 44m	3h 39m
Total cost (1 person)	$111	$187
Carbon footprint	138 kg CO₂	76 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 New Athens, IL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.