Drive or Fly: Dubuque, IA to Altoona, 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 DBQ–DSM. At 179 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 35m

Distance

179.8 mi

Total Cost

$75

CO2

73 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$40

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 49m

19m in the air

Air Distance

155 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

40 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Dubuque, IA → DBQ 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DSM → Altoona, IA 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Dubuque, IA DBQ — Dubuque Regional Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

Altoona, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DBQ and DSM. 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

5h 57m

3h 40m on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Dubuque, IA → Davenport (Ground Transportation) (DAV6) 102m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 220m

Arrival 10m

Des Moines (DSM6) → Altoona, IA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From DAV6 — Davenport (Ground Transportation) 68 mi, ~102m drive

To DSM6 — Des Moines 7 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 35m	2h 49m	5h 57m
Total cost (1 person)	$75	$126	$17
Carbon footprint	73 kg CO₂	40 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 Dubuque, IA to Altoona, IA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.