Drive or Fly: Waukegan, IL to Villa 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 ORD–CMI. At 196 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 6m

Distance

196 mi

Total Cost

$78

CO2

79 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$43

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 21m

21m in the air

Air Distance

174 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

44 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Waukegan, IL → ORD 40m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CMI → Villa Grove, IL 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

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

Villa Grove, IL CMI — University of Illinois Willard Airport 14 mi, ~20m 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	4h 6m	3h 21m
Total cost (1 person)	$78	$127
Carbon footprint	79 kg CO₂	44 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

196 mi 4h 6m

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

Alternative (+26 min)

208.9 mi 4h 33m

via I 57, I 55, I 294

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