Drive or Fly: Cuba, IL to Rockford, 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 PIA–RFD. At 190 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 48m

Distance

190.2 mi

Total Cost

$77

CO2

77 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$42

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 9m

16m in the air

Air Distance

135 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cuba, IL → PIA 43m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RFD → Rockford, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Cuba, IL PIA — General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport 29 mi, ~43m drive

Rockford, IL RFD — Chicago Rockford International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PIA 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

4h 22m

1h 49m on rail

Total Cost

$22

CO2

6 kg

Route

Carl Sandburg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cuba, IL → Macomb Amtrak Station 38m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 109m

Arrival 10m

Mendota Amtrak Station → Rockford, IL 75m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $22) $22

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

Stations

From Macomb Amtrak Station 25 mi, ~38m drive

To Mendota Amtrak Station 50 mi, ~75m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/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 1 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	3h 48m	3h 9m	4h 22m
Total cost (1 person)	$77	$125	$22
Carbon footprint	77 kg CO₂	35 kg CO₂	6 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 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

190.2 mi 3h 47m

via IL 110, I 74, IL 97

Shortest (+2 min)

189.3 mi 3h 50m

via I 39; US 51, IL 29, US 24; IL 9

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