Drive or Fly: Burlington, IA to Waukee, 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 BRL–DSM. At 186 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

Distance

186.2 mi

Total Cost

$76

CO2

75 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$41

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 49m

19m in the air

Air Distance

154 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

39 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Burlington, IA → BRL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DSM → Waukee, IA 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Burlington, IA BRL — Southeast Iowa Regional Airport 2 mi, ~10m drive

Waukee, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 13 mi, ~20m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BRL 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

4h 39m

2h 49m on rail

Total Cost

$28

CO2

8 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Burlington, IA → Burlington Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 169m

Arrival 10m

Osceola Amtrak Station → Waukee, IA 60m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

From Burlington Amtrak Station 1 mi, ~10m drive

To Osceola Amtrak Station 40 mi, ~60m 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 53m

3h 40m on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Burlington, IA → Davenport (Ground Transportation) (DAV6) 85m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 220m

Arrival 10m

Des Moines (DSM6) → Waukee, IA 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From DAV6 — Davenport (Ground Transportation) 57 mi, ~85m drive

To DSM6 — Des Moines 15 mi, ~23m 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	2h 49m	4h 39m	5h 53m
Total cost (1 person)	$76	$126	$28	$17
Carbon footprint	75 kg CO₂	39 kg CO₂	8 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 Burlington, IA to Waukee, IA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.