Drive or Fly: Waukegan, IL to Onarga, 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–CMI. At 130 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 40m

Distance

130.7 mi

Total Cost

$64

CO2

53 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$29

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

4h 7m

14m in the air

Air Distance

114 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

29 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Waukegan, IL → ORD 40m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CMI → Onarga, IL 73m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

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

Onarga, IL CMI — University of Illinois Willard Airport 49 mi, ~73m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORD and CMI. 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 40m	4h 7m
Total cost (1 person)	$64	$125
Carbon footprint	53 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

130.7 mi 2h 40m

via I 57, I 90; I 94, I 94; US 41

Alternative (+1 min)

133 mi 2h 41m

via I 57, I 294, I 94

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