Drive or Fly: Mount Pleasant, IA to Dubuque, 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–DBQ. At 133 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 56m

Distance

133.9 mi

Total Cost

$65

CO2

54 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$30

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 4m

14m in the air

Air Distance

116 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

30 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Pleasant, IA → BRL 39m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DBQ → Dubuque, IA 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Mount Pleasant, IA BRL — Southeast Iowa Regional Airport 26 mi, ~39m drive

Dubuque, IA DBQ — Dubuque Regional Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BRL and DBQ. 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 29m

1h 10m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Pleasant, IA → Iowa City (ICY6) 72m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 70m

Arrival 10m

Davenport (Ground Transportation) (DAV6) → Dubuque, IA 102m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From ICY6 — Iowa City 48 mi, ~72m drive

To DAV6 — Davenport (Ground Transportation) 68 mi, ~102m 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	2h 56m	3h 4m	4h 29m
Total cost (1 person)	$65	$125	$6
Carbon footprint	54 kg CO₂	30 kg CO₂	3 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

133.9 mi 2h 56m

via US 151, US 218; IA 27, IA 1

Alternative (+0 min)

147.3 mi 2h 56m

via US 151, US 218; IA 27, US 30; US 151

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