Drive or Fly: Dubuque, IA to Red Oak, 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–OMA. At 306 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

6h 14m

Distance

306.9 mi

Total Cost

$103

CO2

124 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$68

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 42m

31m in the air

Air Distance

257 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

65 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Dubuque, IA → DBQ 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 31m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

OMA → Red Oak, IA 60m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Red Oak, IA OMA — Eppley Airfield 40 mi, ~60m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DBQ and OMA. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 32m compared to driving

+ 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	6h 14m	3h 42m
Total cost (1 person)	$103	$185
Carbon footprint	124 kg CO₂	65 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

306.9 mi 6h 14m

via I 80, US 151, US 30

Alternative (+20 min)

316.4 mi 6h 34m

via US 34, US 151, I 35

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