Tell them why you won't fly and give them the statistics/facts. It's cheaper to drive and spend a night on the road than flying. Add in the cost of renting a car in Chicago. Take the train. I took the train from Provo to Chicago over 60 years ago and it was marvelous. The Carl Sandbag poem come to life, and going through the Rockies into the Denver plateau was memorable.

I used to smoke. Company wanted me to go to a conference in Long Beach at a no smoking hotel. Long Beach is high crime and I made the case that expecting me to go outside at the Marriott was dangerous. I found a room (the royal suite) on the Queen Mary. With taxi cost, it was roughly the same price. So I stayed in the same suite as royalty and generals/admirals in a perfectly preserved room with delivered breakfasts with linen and sterling. Went on ghost tour and at least 20 people from the conference came to visit. A typical, mind-numbing conference ended up being a great experience. Make your case and take your road trip.

Tell them why you won't fly and give them the statistics/facts. It's cheaper to drive and spend a night on the road than flying. Add in the cost of renting a car in Chicago. Take the train.

I used to smoke. Company wanted me to go to a conference in Long Beach at a no smoking hotel. Long Beach is high crime and I made the case that expecting me to go outside at the Marriott was dangerous. I found a room (the royal suite) on the Queen Mary. With taxi cost, it was roughly the same price. So I stayed in the same suite as royalty and generals/admirals in a perfectly preserved room with delivered breakfasts with linen and sterling. Went on ghost tour and at least 20 people from the conference came to visit. A typical, mind-numbing conference ended up being a great experience. Make your case and take your road trip.