Drive or Fly: Ankeny, IA to Lisbon, 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–CID. At 124 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 33m

Distance

124.9 mi

Total Cost

$63

CO2

50 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$28

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

14m in the air

Air Distance

115 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

29 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ankeny, IA → DSM 21m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CID → Lisbon, IA 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

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

Lisbon, IA CID — The Eastern Iowa Airport 17 mi, ~25m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DSM and CID. 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

5h 49m

2h 17m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ankeny, IA → Osceola Amtrak Station 73m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 137m

Arrival 10m

Mt. Pleasant Amtrak Station → Lisbon, IA 99m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From Osceola Amtrak Station 49 mi, ~73m drive

To Mt. Pleasant Amtrak Station 66 mi, ~99m 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

3h 16m

2h 10m on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ankeny, IA → Des Moines (DSM6) 11m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 130m

Arrival 10m

Iowa City (ICY6) → Lisbon, IA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From DSM6 — Des Moines 7 mi, ~11m drive

To ICY6 — Iowa City 20 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 33m	3h	5h 49m	3h 16m
Total cost (1 person)	$63	$125	$23	$12
Carbon footprint	50 kg CO₂	29 kg CO₂	7 kg CO₂	6 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

124.9 mi 2h 32m

via US 30, US 65; IA 330, Northeast 94th Avenue

Alternative (+6 min)

136.4 mi 2h 39m

via I 80, IA 1, I 35

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