Drive or Fly: Manchester, IA to West Des Moines, 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 DBQ–DSM. At 162 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 26m

Distance

162.8 mi

Total Cost

$71

CO2

66 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$36

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 24m

16m in the air

Air Distance

132 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

34 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Manchester, IA → DBQ 58m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DSM → West Des Moines, IA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Manchester, IA DBQ — Dubuque Regional Airport 39 mi, ~58m drive

West Des Moines, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DBQ 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 17m

2h 15m on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Manchester, IA → Iowa City (ICY6) 86m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 135m

Arrival 10m

Des Moines (DSM6) → West Des Moines, IA 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From ICY6 — Iowa City 57 mi, ~86m drive

To DSM6 — Des Moines 7 mi, ~11m 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 26m	3h 24m	4h 17m
Total cost (1 person)	$71	$125	$12
Carbon footprint	66 kg CO₂	34 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

162.8 mi 3h 26m

via IA 330, US 20, US 20; IA 27

Alternative (+0 min)

166.5 mi 3h 26m

via US 30, IA 13, IA 330

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Manchester, IA to West Des Moines, IA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.