Drive or Fly: Rockford, IL to Newell, 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–CMI. At 222 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 11m

Distance

222.5 mi

Total Cost

$84

CO2

90 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$49

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 26m

20m in the air

Air Distance

165 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

42 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rockford, IL → RFD 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CMI → Newell, IL 56m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Newell, IL CMI — University of Illinois Willard Airport 38 mi, ~56m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between RFD and CMI. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 40m

5h 15m on road

Total Cost

$18

CO2

13 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Rockford, IL → Rockford(East Side Transfer Center) (RFE6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 315m

Arrival 10m

Danville Mass Transit (DAN6) → Newell, IL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From RFE6 — Rockford(East Side Transfer Center) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To DAN6 — Danville Mass Transit 0 mi, ~30m 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	4h 11m	3h 26m	6h 40m
Total cost (1 person)	$84	$182	$18
Carbon footprint	90 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: 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

222.5 mi 4h 11m

via I 39; US 51, I 74; US 51, US 51

Shortest (+41 min)

213 mi 4h 52m

via IL 1, I 90, I 57

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