Drive or Fly: Arlington Heights, IL to Lawrence, 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–RFD. At 56 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 17m

Distance

56.3 mi

Total Cost

$47

CO2

23 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$12

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 1m

5m in the air

Air Distance

42 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Arlington Heights, IL → ORD 13m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RFD → Lawrence, IL 43m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Arlington Heights, IL ORD — Chicago O'Hare International Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

Lawrence, IL RFD — Chicago Rockford International Airport 29 mi, ~43m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ORD and RFD. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

2h 35m

38m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Hiawatha Service

Door-to-Door Timeline

Arlington Heights, IL → Glenview Amtrak Station 14m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 38m

Arrival 10m

Sturtevant Amtrak Station → Lawrence, IL 63m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

Estimated based on distance. Check amtrak.com for current prices.

Stations

From Glenview Amtrak Station 9 mi, ~14m drive

To Sturtevant Amtrak Station 42 mi, ~63m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	1h 17m	3h 1m	2h 35m
Total cost (1 person)	$47	$122	$9
Carbon footprint	23 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	3 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

Transit: Amtrak GTFS — fares estimated

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 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

56.3 mi 1h 16m

via I 90, IL 23, US 20

Shortest (+0 min)

47.3 mi 1h 16m

via US 14, US 12, IL 22

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