Drive or Fly: Buffalo, IA to Le Claire, 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–MLI. At 31 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

42m

Distance

31.7 mi

Total Cost

$42

CO2

13 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$7

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

2h 40m

3m in the air

Air Distance

22 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

6 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Buffalo, IA → MLI 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MLI → Le Claire, IA 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Buffalo, IA MLI — Quad City International Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

Le Claire, IA MLI — Quad City International Airport 13 mi, ~20m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MLI and MLI. 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

2h 6m

26m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Carl Sandburg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Buffalo, IA → Galesburg Amtrak Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 26m

Arrival 10m

Kewanee Amtrak Station → Le Claire, IA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From Galesburg Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Kewanee Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m 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

1h 35m

10m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Buffalo, IA → Davenport (Ground Transportation) (DAV6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 10m

Arrival 10m

Moline Center Station (Metrolink) (MOL6) → Le Claire, IA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $0) $0

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

Stations

From DAV6 — Davenport (Ground Transportation) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To MOL6 — Moline Center Station (Metrolink) 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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

− 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	42m	2h 40m	2h 6m	1h 35m
Total cost (1 person)	$42	$121	$6	$0
Carbon footprint	13 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	2 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 Buffalo, IA to Le Claire, IA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.