Drive or Fly: Davenport, IA to Storm Lake, 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–FOD. At 292 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 46m

Distance

292.6 mi

Total Cost

$100

CO2

118 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$65

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 58m

30m in the air

Air Distance

250 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

64 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Davenport, IA → MLI 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 30m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FOD → Storm Lake, IA 78m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Storm Lake, IA FOD — Fort Dodge Regional Airport 52 mi, ~78m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MLI and FOD. 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	5h 46m	3h 58m
Total cost (1 person)	$100	$185
Carbon footprint	118 kg CO₂	64 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

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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

292.6 mi 5h 45m

via US 20; IA 27, I 380; US 218; IA 27, US 6

Alternative (+12 min)

302.1 mi 5h 58m

via US 20, US 30, US 6

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