Drive or Fly: Le Mars, IA to Iowa City, 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 SUX–CID. At 300 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

Distance

300.5 mi

Total Cost

$102

CO2

121 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$67

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 41m

30m in the air

Air Distance

250 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

64 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Le Mars, IA → SUX 44m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 30m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CID → Iowa City, IA 27m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Le Mars, IA SUX — Sioux Gateway Airport / Brigadier General Bud Day Field 30 mi, ~44m drive

Iowa City, IA CID — The Eastern Iowa Airport 18 mi, ~27m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SUX and CID. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 19m 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	3h 41m
Total cost (1 person)	$102	$185
Carbon footprint	121 kg CO₂	64 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Le Mars, IA to Iowa City, IA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.