Drive or Fly: Indiana, IA to Fairfield, 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 DSM–BRL. At 69 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 36m

Distance

69.2 mi

Total Cost

$50

CO2

28 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$15

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

4h 17m

7m in the air

Air Distance

57 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

15 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Indiana, IA → DSM 60m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BRL → Fairfield, IA 70m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

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

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DSM and BRL. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

2h 51m

48m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Indiana, IA → Ottumwa Amtrak Station 51m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 48m

Arrival 10m

Mt. Pleasant Amtrak Station → Fairfield, IA 32m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From Ottumwa Amtrak Station 34 mi, ~51m drive

To Mt. Pleasant Amtrak Station 22 mi, ~32m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 46m

1h 10m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Indiana, IA → Grinnell (GIA6) 56m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 70m

Arrival 10m

Iowa City (ICY6) → Fairfield, IA 75m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From GIA6 — Grinnell 38 mi, ~56m drive

To ICY6 — Iowa City 50 mi, ~75m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 36m	4h 17m	2h 51m	3h 46m
Total cost (1 person)	$50	$122	$9	$7
Carbon footprint	28 kg CO₂	15 kg CO₂	3 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: Amtrak GTFS, 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

69.2 mi 1h 36m

via US 63; IA 163, CR G71, US 34; IA 163

Alternative (+2 min)

69.3 mi 1h 38m

via US 34, IA 5

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