Drive or Fly: Des Moines, IA to Iowa City, 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–CID. At 114 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 48m

Distance

114.7 mi

Total Cost

$60

CO2

46 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$25

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

13m in the air

Air Distance

107 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

27 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Des Moines, IA → DSM 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CID → Iowa City, IA 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Des Moines, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

Iowa City, IA CID — The Eastern Iowa Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DSM and CID. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 9m

2h 17m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Des Moines, IA → Osceola Amtrak Station 60m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 137m

Arrival 10m

Mt. Pleasant Amtrak Station → Iowa City, IA 72m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From Osceola Amtrak Station 40 mi, ~60m drive

To Mt. Pleasant Amtrak Station 48 mi, ~72m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 55m

2h 10m on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Des Moines, IA → Des Moines (DSM6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 130m

Arrival 10m

Iowa City (ICY6) → Iowa City, IA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From DSM6 — Des Moines 2 mi, ~10m drive

To ICY6 — Iowa City 0 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 48m	2h 50m	5h 9m	2h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$60	$124	$23	$12
Carbon footprint	46 kg CO₂	27 kg CO₂	7 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: Amtrak GTFS, 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 Des Moines, IA to Iowa City, IA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.