Drive or Fly: Westchester, 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 MDW–RFD. At 79 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 40m

Distance

79 mi

Total Cost

$52

CO2

32 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$17

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

2h 30m

8m in the air

Air Distance

69 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

17 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Westchester, IL → MDW 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

RFD → Rockford, IL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Westchester, IL MDW — Chicago Midway International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MDW 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 10m

1h 5m on rail

Total Cost

$13

CO2

4 kg

Route

Carl Sandburg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Westchester, IL → La Grange Amtrak 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 65m

Arrival 10m

Mendota Amtrak Station → Rockford, IL 75m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From La Grange Amtrak 2 mi, ~10m drive

To Mendota Amtrak Station 50 mi, ~75m 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	1h 40m	2h 30m	3h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$52	$123	$13
Carbon footprint	32 kg CO₂	17 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 — 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

79 mi 1h 39m

via I 90, I 290, US 20 Business

Alternative (+0 min)

83.2 mi 1h 40m

via I 90, I 294, US 20 Business

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