Drive or Fly: Fort Madison, IA to Indiana, 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 129 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 13m

Distance

129.5 mi

Total Cost

$64

CO2

52 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$29

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 34m

12m in the air

Air Distance

98 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

25 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Madison, IA → BRL 22m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DSM → Indiana, IA 60m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

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

Indiana, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 40 mi, ~60m 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 19m

1h 10m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 70m

Arrival 10m

Grinnell (GIA6) → Indiana, IA 56m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

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

To GIA6 — Grinnell 38 mi, ~56m 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 13m	3h 34m	4h 19m
Total cost (1 person)	$64	$124	$7
Carbon footprint	52 kg CO₂	25 kg CO₂	4 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 Indiana, IA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.