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Drive or Fly: Rockford, IL to Clifton, 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 RFD–GYY. At 150 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 5m

Distance

150.6 mi

Total Cost

$67

CO2

61 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$32
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 44m

13m in the air

Air Distance

110 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

28 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rockford, IL → RFD 10m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 13m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
GYY → Clifton, IL 81m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Rockford, IL RFD — Chicago Rockford International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive
Clifton, IL GYY — Gary/Chicago International Airport 54 mi, ~81m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RFD and GYY. 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

At a Glance

Drive Fly
Door-to-door time 3h 5m 3h 44m
Total cost (1 person) $67 $124
Carbon footprint 61 kg CO2 28 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
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 Jun 3, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest
150.6 mi 3h 4m

via I 90, I 57, I 294

Alternative (+36 min)
167.4 mi 3h 41m

via I 39; US 51, IL 17, IL 18

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