Drive or Fly: Davenport, IA to Denver, 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–ALO. At 145 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 55m

Distance

145 mi

Total Cost

$67

CO2

59 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$32

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 37m

14m in the air

Air Distance

120 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

31 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Davenport, IA → MLI 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ALO → Denver, IA 13m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

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

Denver, IA ALO — Waterloo Regional Airport 9 mi, ~13m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MLI and ALO. 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 55m

2h 35m on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 155m

Arrival 10m

Grinnell (GIA6) → Denver, IA 105m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

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

To GIA6 — Grinnell 70 mi, ~105m 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 55m	2h 37m	4h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$67	$125	$12
Carbon footprint	59 kg CO₂	31 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

145 mi 2h 54m

via I 380; US 218; IA 27, US 6, US 63

Alternative (+21 min)

151.1 mi 3h 16m

via I 380; IA 27, US 6, US 30

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