Drive or Fly: Dubuque, IA to Forest 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 DBQ–MCW. At 204 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 8m

Distance

204.4 mi

Total Cost

$80

CO2

83 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$45

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 56m

19m in the air

Air Distance

159 mi

Total Cost

$181

CO2

41 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Dubuque, IA → DBQ 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCW → Forest City, IA 26m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Forest City, IA MCW — Mason City Municipal Airport 17 mi, ~26m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DBQ and MCW. 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	4h 8m	2h 56m
Total cost (1 person)	$80	$181
Carbon footprint	83 kg CO₂	41 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

204.4 mi 4h 7m

via US 20, US 218; IA 27, CR B14

Alternative (+19 min)

216.4 mi 4h 27m

via US 20, US 20; IA 27, US 69

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