Drive or Fly: Pleasant View, 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 UIN–RFD. At 217 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 38m

Distance

217.9 mi

Total Cost

$91

CO2

88 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$56

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 30m

20m in the air

Air Distance

166 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

42 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pleasant View, IL → UIN 60m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RFD → Rockford, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Pleasant View, IL UIN — Quincy Regional Airport Baldwin Field 40 mi, ~60m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between UIN 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 29m

1h 49m on rail

Total Cost

$22

CO2

13 kg

Route

Carl Sandburg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pleasant View, IL → Macomb Amtrak Station (MAC) 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 109m

Arrival 10m

Mendota Amtrak Station (MDT) → Rockford, IL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $22) $22

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

Stations

From MAC — Macomb Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To MDT — Mendota Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m 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	4h 38m	3h 30m	3h 29m
Total cost (1 person)	$91	$182	$22
Carbon footprint	88 kg CO₂	42 kg CO₂	13 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 Oct 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

217.9 mi 4h 37m

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

Alternative (+4 min)

235.6 mi 4h 42m

via IL 110, US 67; IL 110, US 67

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