Drive or Fly: Council Bluffs, IA to Burlington, 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 OMA–BRL. At 296 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 41m

Distance

296.9 mi

Total Cost

$101

CO2

120 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$66

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 50m

30m in the air

Air Distance

249 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

64 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Council Bluffs, IA → OMA 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 30m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BRL → Burlington, IA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Council Bluffs, IA OMA — Eppley Airfield 3 mi, ~10m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between OMA and BRL. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 51m 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

6h 58m

5h 18m on rail

Total Cost

$51

CO2

17 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Council Bluffs, IA → Omaha Amtrak Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 318m

Arrival 10m

Burlington Amtrak Station → Burlington, IA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $51) $51

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

Stations

From Omaha Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Burlington 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	5h 41m	2h 50m	6h 58m
Total cost (1 person)	$101	$185	$51
Carbon footprint	120 kg CO₂	64 kg CO₂	17 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 — 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 Council Bluffs, IA to Burlington, IA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.