Drive or Fly: Clinton, IA to Iowa 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–CID. At 87 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 46m

Distance

87.1 mi

Total Cost

$54

CO2

35 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$19

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

8m in the air

Air Distance

70 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Clinton, IA → MLI 48m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CID → Iowa City, IA 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Clinton, IA MLI — Quad City International Airport 32 mi, ~48m drive

Iowa City, IA CID — The Eastern Iowa Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MLI and CID. 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

2h 53m

1h 35m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Clinton, IA → Moline Center Station (Metrolink) (MOL6) 43m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 95m

Arrival 10m

Iowa City (ICY6) → Iowa City, IA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From MOL6 — Moline Center Station (Metrolink) 29 mi, ~43m drive

To ICY6 — Iowa City 0 mi, ~10m 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	1h 46m	3h 23m	2h 53m
Total cost (1 person)	$54	$123	$6
Carbon footprint	35 kg CO₂	18 kg CO₂	3 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 12, 2026.

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