Drive or Fly: Altoona, IA to Indiana, IA?

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 DSM–DSM. At 46 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

53m

Distance

46.1 mi

Total Cost

$45

CO2

19 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$10

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 24m

5m in the air

Air Distance

38 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

10 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Altoona, IA → DSM 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DSM → Indiana, IA 60m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Altoona, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

Indiana, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 40 mi, ~60m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DSM and DSM. 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

4h 7m

1h 29m on rail

Total Cost

$14

CO2

4 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Altoona, IA → Osceola Amtrak Station 67m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 89m

Arrival 10m

Ottumwa Amtrak Station → Indiana, IA 51m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $14) $14

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

Stations

From Osceola Amtrak Station 45 mi, ~67m drive

To Ottumwa Amtrak Station 34 mi, ~51m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 26m

55m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Altoona, IA → Des Moines (DSM6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 55m

Arrival 10m

Grinnell (GIA6) → Indiana, IA 56m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From DSM6 — Des Moines 7 mi, ~10m drive

To GIA6 — Grinnell 38 mi, ~56m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	53m	3h 24m	4h 7m	2h 26m
Total cost (1 person)	$45	$122	$14	$5
Carbon footprint	19 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	3 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, 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Altoona, IA to Indiana, IA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.