Drive or Fly: Creston, IA to Bettendorf, 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 DSM–MLI. At 250 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 52m

Distance

250.1 mi

Total Cost

$91

CO2

101 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$56

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 48m

24m in the air

Air Distance

202 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

52 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Creston, IA → DSM 74m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 24m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MLI → Bettendorf, IA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Creston, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 49 mi, ~74m drive

Bettendorf, IA MLI — Quad City International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DSM and MLI. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 44m

3h 45m on road

Total Cost

$18

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Creston, IA → Des Moines (DSM6) 84m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 225m

Arrival 10m

Moline Center Station (Metrolink) (MOL6) → Bettendorf, IA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From DSM6 — Des Moines 56 mi, ~84m drive

To MOL6 — Moline Center Station (Metrolink) 1 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	3h 52m	3h 48m	5h 44m
Total cost (1 person)	$91	$183	$18
Carbon footprint	101 kg CO₂	52 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: 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 Creston, IA to Bettendorf, IA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.