Drive or Fly: Cedar Rapids, IA to Oakland, 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 CID–FOD. At 119 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 29m

Distance

119.3 mi

Total Cost

$61

CO2

48 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$26

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 23m

12m in the air

Air Distance

100 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

26 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cedar Rapids, IA → CID 14m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FOD → Oakland, IA 57m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Cedar Rapids, IA CID — The Eastern Iowa Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive

Oakland, IA FOD — Fort Dodge Regional Airport 38 mi, ~57m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CID and FOD. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 57m

2h 15m on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cedar Rapids, IA → Iowa City (ICY6) 37m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 135m

Arrival 10m

Des Moines (DSM6) → Oakland, IA 100m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From ICY6 — Iowa City 25 mi, ~37m drive

To DSM6 — Des Moines 66 mi, ~100m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 29m	3h 23m	4h 57m
Total cost (1 person)	$61	$124	$12
Carbon footprint	48 kg CO₂	26 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: 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

119.3 mi 2h 28m

via US 20; IA 27, I 380; IA 27, County Highway S27

Alternative (+23 min)

123.1 mi 2h 52m

via I 380; IA 27, IA 57, US 20; IA 27

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