Drive or Fly: Ankeny, IA to Cascade, 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–DBQ. At 158 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 12m

Distance

158 mi

Total Cost

$70

CO2

64 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$35

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 4m

17m in the air

Air Distance

139 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ankeny, IA → DSM 21m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DBQ → Cascade, IA 26m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Ankeny, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 14 mi, ~21m drive

Cascade, IA DBQ — Dubuque Regional Airport 17 mi, ~26m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DSM and DBQ. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 35m

2h 10m on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

9 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ankeny, IA → Des Moines (DSM6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 130m

Arrival 10m

Iowa City (ICY6) → Cascade, IA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From DSM6 — Des Moines 0 mi, ~30m drive

To ICY6 — Iowa City 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	3h 12m	3h 4m	3h 35m
Total cost (1 person)	$70	$126	$12
Carbon footprint	64 kg CO₂	35 kg CO₂	9 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 12, 2026.

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