Drive or Fly: Perry, IA to Cedar Rapids, 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–CID. At 147 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 59m

Distance

147.2 mi

Total Cost

$68

CO2

59 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$33

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 16m

15m in the air

Air Distance

127 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

32 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Perry, IA → DSM 47m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CID → Cedar Rapids, IA 14m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Perry, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 31 mi, ~47m drive

Cedar Rapids, IA CID — The Eastern Iowa Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DSM and CID. 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

6h 45m

2h 54m on rail

Total Cost

$29

CO2

9 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Perry, IA → Creston Amtrak 83m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 174m

Arrival 10m

Mt. Pleasant Amtrak Station → Cedar Rapids, IA 108m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $29) $29

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

Stations

From Creston Amtrak 56 mi, ~83m drive

To Mt. Pleasant Amtrak Station 72 mi, ~108m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 57m

2h 10m on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Perry, IA → Des Moines (DSM6) 45m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 130m

Arrival 10m

Iowa City (ICY6) → Cedar Rapids, IA 37m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From DSM6 — Des Moines 30 mi, ~45m drive

To ICY6 — Iowa City 25 mi, ~37m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 59m	3h 16m	6h 45m	3h 57m
Total cost (1 person)	$68	$125	$29	$12
Carbon footprint	59 kg CO₂	32 kg CO₂	9 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: Amtrak GTFS, 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

147.2 mi 2h 59m

via US 30, US 169, IA 100

Alternative (+7 min)

162.8 mi 3h 7m

via I 80, I 380; US 218; IA 27, IA 141

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