Drive or Fly: Davenport, IA to Columbus Junction, 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–BRL. At 53 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 8m

Distance

53.8 mi

Total Cost

$47

CO2

22 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$12

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 10m

5m in the air

Air Distance

44 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Davenport, IA → MLI 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BRL → Columbus Junction, IA 55m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Davenport, IA MLI — Quad City International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

Columbus Junction, IA BRL — Southeast Iowa Regional Airport 37 mi, ~55m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MLI and BRL. 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 26m

1h 10m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Davenport, IA → Davenport (Ground Transportation) (DAV6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 70m

Arrival 10m

Iowa City (ICY6) → Columbus Junction, IA 41m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From DAV6 — Davenport (Ground Transportation) 0 mi, ~10m drive

To ICY6 — Iowa City 28 mi, ~41m 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 8m	3h 10m	2h 26m
Total cost (1 person)	$47	$122	$6
Carbon footprint	22 kg CO₂	11 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

53.8 mi 1h 8m

via US 61, US 61; IA 92, IA 92

Alternative (+13 min)

55.8 mi 1h 21m

via IL 92, US 61 Business, IA 92

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Davenport, IA to Columbus Junction, IA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.