Drive or Fly: Ottumwa, 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 IRK–DBQ. At 179 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 6m

Distance

179.2 mi

Total Cost

$75

CO2

72 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$40

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 4m

16m in the air

Air Distance

136 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ottumwa, IA → IRK 97m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DBQ → Dubuque, IA 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Ottumwa, IA IRK — Kirksville Regional Airport 64 mi, ~97m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between IRK 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

3h 55m

2h 30m on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

10 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Ottumwa, IA → Grinnell (GIA6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 150m

Arrival 10m

Davenport (Ground Transportation) (DAV6) → Dubuque, IA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From GIA6 — Grinnell 0 mi, ~30m drive

To DAV6 — Davenport (Ground Transportation) 0 mi, ~30m 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 6m	4h 4m	3h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$75	$125	$12
Carbon footprint	72 kg CO₂	35 kg CO₂	10 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 12, 2026.

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