Drive or Fly: Letts, IA to Newport, 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–BRL. At 18 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

22m

Distance

18.7 mi

Total Cost

$39

CO2

8 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$4

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 31m

2m in the air

Air Distance

17 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

4 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Letts, IA → BRL 57m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 2m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BRL → Newport, IA 32m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

Letts, IA BRL — Southeast Iowa Regional Airport 38 mi, ~57m drive

Newport, IA BRL — Southeast Iowa Regional Airport 21 mi, ~32m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BRL 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 27m

33m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Letts, IA → Mt. Pleasant Amtrak Station 44m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 33m

Arrival 10m

Burlington Amtrak Station → Newport, IA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From Mt. Pleasant Amtrak Station 30 mi, ~44m drive

To Burlington Amtrak Station 20 mi, ~30m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	22m	3h 31m	2h 27m
Total cost (1 person)	$39	$121	$5
Carbon footprint	8 kg CO₂	4 kg CO₂	2 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 — 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 15, 2026.

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