Drive or Fly: Buffalo, IA to Sioux City, 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–SUX. At 369 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 46m

Distance

369 mi

Total Cost

$116

CO2

149 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$81

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

36m in the air

Air Distance

300 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

77 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Buffalo, IA → MLI 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 36m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SUX → Sioux City, IA 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Sioux City, IA SUX — Sioux Gateway Airport / Brigadier General Bud Day Field 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MLI and SUX. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 42m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	6h 46m	3h 4m
Total cost (1 person)	$116	$187
Carbon footprint	149 kg CO₂	77 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

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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

369 mi 6h 45m

via I 80, I 29, I 280

Shortest (+1 min)

348.8 mi 6h 47m

via US 20; IA 27, I 380; US 218; IA 27, I 280

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