Drive or Fly: Monona, 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 DBQ–DSM. At 224 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 49m

Distance

224.5 mi

Total Cost

$85

CO2

91 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$50

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 43m

18m in the air

Air Distance

153 mi

Total Cost

$181

CO2

39 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Monona, IA → DBQ 85m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 18m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DSM → Indiana, IA 60m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Monona, IA DBQ — Dubuque Regional Airport 57 mi, ~85m drive

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

− 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	4h 49m	4h 43m
Total cost (1 person)	$85	$181
Carbon footprint	91 kg CO₂	39 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

224.5 mi 4h 48m

via I 80, IA 13, I 380; IA 27

Shortest (+8 min)

215.5 mi 4h 57m

via US 63, US 20, IA 13

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