Drive or Fly: New Sharon, IA to Council Bluffs, 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 DSM–OMA. At 196 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 6m

Distance

196.3 mi

Total Cost

$78

CO2

79 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$43

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 48m

20m in the air

Air Distance

167 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

43 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Sharon, IA → DSM 78m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

OMA → Council Bluffs, IA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

New Sharon, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 52 mi, ~78m drive

Council Bluffs, IA OMA — Eppley Airfield 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DSM and OMA. 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

5h 52m

4h 12m on rail

Total Cost

$37

CO2

11 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Sharon, IA → Ottumwa Amtrak Station 50m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 252m

Arrival 10m

Omaha Amtrak Station → Council Bluffs, IA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $37) $37

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

Stations

From Ottumwa Amtrak Station 34 mi, ~50m drive

To Omaha Amtrak Station 4 mi, ~10m 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	3h 6m	3h 48m	5h 52m
Total cost (1 person)	$78	$127	$37
Carbon footprint	79 kg CO₂	43 kg CO₂	11 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

196.5 mi 3h 42m

via I 80, IA 146

Alternative (+11 min)

202.4 mi 3h 54m

via I 80, IA 92, IA 5

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from New Sharon, IA to Council Bluffs, IA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.