Drive or Fly: Fort Madison, IA to Ames, 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–DSM. At 205 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 18m

Distance

205.3 mi

Total Cost

$81

CO2

83 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$46

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 32m

18m in the air

Air Distance

154 mi

Total Cost

$181

CO2

39 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Madison, IA → BRL 22m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DSM → Ames, IA 52m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Fort Madison, IA BRL — Southeast Iowa Regional Airport 15 mi, ~22m drive

Ames, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 35 mi, ~52m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BRL 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 10m

2h 15m on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Madison, IA → Iowa City (ICY6) 108m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 135m

Arrival 10m

Des Moines (DSM6) → Ames, IA 42m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From ICY6 — Iowa City 72 mi, ~108m drive

To DSM6 — Des Moines 28 mi, ~42m 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 18m	3h 32m	5h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$81	$181	$12
Carbon footprint	83 kg CO₂	39 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: 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 Fort Madison, IA to Ames, IA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.