Drive or Fly: Blue Grass, IA to Ames, 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 MLI–DSM. At 174 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 28m

Distance

174.2 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

70 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$38

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 31m

18m in the air

Air Distance

151 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

39 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Blue Grass, IA → MLI 21m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DSM → Ames, IA 52m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Blue Grass, IA MLI — Quad City International Airport 14 mi, ~21m drive

Ames, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 35 mi, ~52m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MLI 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

7h 10m

3h 40m on rail

Total Cost

$36

CO2

10 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Blue Grass, IA → Galesburg Amtrak Station 66m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 220m

Arrival 10m

Osceola Amtrak Station → Ames, IA 104m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $36) $36

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

Stations

From Galesburg Amtrak Station 44 mi, ~66m drive

To Osceola Amtrak Station 69 mi, ~104m 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

5h 2m

3h 40m on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Blue Grass, IA → Davenport (Ground Transportation) (DAV6) 15m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 220m

Arrival 10m

Des Moines (DSM6) → Ames, IA 42m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From DAV6 — Davenport (Ground Transportation) 10 mi, ~15m drive

To DSM6 — Des Moines 28 mi, ~42m 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	3h 28m	3h 31m	7h 10m	5h 2m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$126	$36	$17
Carbon footprint	70 kg CO₂	39 kg CO₂	10 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: 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 15, 2026.

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