Drive or Fly: Springfield, IL to South Elgin, IL?

Side-by-side comparison of driving versus flying for this route. Costs, time, and trade-offs at a glance.

Driving wins

Medium

At this distance, driving is almost always faster and cheaper door-to-door.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 54m

Distance

192.2 mi

Total Cost

$75

CO2

78 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$40

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

20m in the air

Air Distance

167 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

43 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Springfield, IL → SPI 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ORD → South Elgin, IL 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Springfield, IL SPI — Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

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

Flight Data

Service

Connecting only

On-Time

100.0%

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	3h 54m	3h
Total cost (1 person)	$75	$127
Carbon footprint	78 kg CO₂	43 kg CO₂
Flexibility	High	Low
Luggage	Unlimited	Restricted
Reliability	Weather dependent	100% on-time

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

192.2 mi 3h 53m

via I 55, IL 47, Orchard Road

Alternative (+11 min)

212.1 mi 4h 4m

via US 51, I 55, IL 38

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