Drive or Fly: La Salle, IL to Elgin, 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–ORD. At 89 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 54m

Distance

89.6 mi

Total Cost

$55

CO2

36 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$20

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 2m

8m in the air

Air Distance

64 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

La Salle, IL → PIA 84m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ORD → Elgin, IL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

La Salle, IL PIA — General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport 56 mi, ~84m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between PIA 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

2h 37m

1h 5m on rail

Total Cost

$11

CO2

3 kg

Route

Illinois Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

La Salle, IL → Mendota Amtrak Station 23m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 65m

Arrival 10m

Naperville Amtrak Station → Elgin, IL 29m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From Mendota Amtrak Station 15 mi, ~23m drive

To Naperville Amtrak Station 19 mi, ~29m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 15m

2h 30m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0145S

Door-to-Door Timeline

La Salle, IL → Oglesby (McDonald's) (OEY6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 150m

Arrival 10m

Elgin IL (ELG6) → Elgin, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From OEY6 — Oglesby (McDonald's) 3 mi, ~10m drive

To ELG6 — Elgin IL 2 mi, ~10m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 54m	4h 2m	2h 37m	3h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$55	$123	$11	$7
Carbon footprint	36 kg CO₂	16 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	4 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, 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

89.6 mi 1h 54m

via I 39; US 51, IL 38, I 88; IL 110

Shortest (+1 min)

77 mi 1h 55m

via IL 71, I 80, South Bridge Street

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