Drive or Fly: Fairfield, IA to Bettendorf, 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 BRL–MLI. At 110 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 24m

Distance

110.7 mi

Total Cost

$59

CO2

45 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$24

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 30m

10m in the air

Air Distance

83 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

21 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fairfield, IA → BRL 70m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MLI → Bettendorf, IA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Fairfield, IA BRL — Southeast Iowa Regional Airport 46 mi, ~70m drive

Bettendorf, IA MLI — Quad City International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BRL and MLI. 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

3h 15m

1h 25m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fairfield, IA → Iowa City (ICY6) 75m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 85m

Arrival 10m

Moline Center Station (Metrolink) (MOL6) → Bettendorf, IA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From ICY6 — Iowa City 50 mi, ~75m drive

To MOL6 — Moline Center Station (Metrolink) 1 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	2h 24m	3h 30m	3h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$59	$123	$6
Carbon footprint	45 kg CO₂	21 kg CO₂	3 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 16, 2026.

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