Drive or Fly: Champaign, IL to North Barrington, 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 CMI–ORD. At 169 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 24m

Distance

169.6 mi

Total Cost

$72

CO2

69 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$37

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

2h 57m

17m in the air

Air Distance

145 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Champaign, IL → CMI 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ORD → North Barrington, IL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Champaign, IL CMI — University of Illinois Willard Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

North Barrington, IL ORD — Chicago O'Hare International Airport 20 mi, ~30m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CMI and ORD. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 38m

4h 45m on road

Total Cost

$15

CO2

8 kg

Route

Greyhound US0145S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Champaign, IL → Champaign Intermodal Trans Ctr (CPN6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 285m

Arrival 10m

Elgin IL (ELG6) → North Barrington, IL 18m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $15) $15

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

Stations

From CPN6 — Champaign Intermodal Trans Ctr 0 mi, ~10m drive

To ELG6 — Elgin IL 12 mi, ~18m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 24m	2h 57m	5h 38m
Total cost (1 person)	$72	$126	$15
Carbon footprint	69 kg CO₂	37 kg CO₂	8 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: FlixBus 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

169.6 mi 3h 24m

via I 57, I 294, I 290

Alternative (+16 min)

173.7 mi 3h 40m

via I 57, I 55, I 355

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