Drive or Fly: Red Oak, IA to Des Moines, 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 OMA–DSM. At 118 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 32m

Distance

118.3 mi

Total Cost

$61

CO2

48 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$26

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 21m

11m in the air

Air Distance

93 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

24 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Red Oak, IA → OMA 60m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DSM → Des Moines, IA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Red Oak, IA OMA — Eppley Airfield 40 mi, ~60m drive

Des Moines, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between OMA 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

5h 8m

2h 28m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

7 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Red Oak, IA → Omaha Amtrak Station 60m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 148m

Arrival 10m

Osceola Amtrak Station → Des Moines, IA 60m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

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

Stations

From Omaha Amtrak Station 40 mi, ~60m drive

To Osceola Amtrak Station 40 mi, ~60m 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	2h 32m	3h 21m	5h 8m
Total cost (1 person)	$61	$124	$23
Carbon footprint	48 kg CO₂	24 kg CO₂	7 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

118.3 mi 2h 31m

via US 6, IA 48, I 235

Shortest (+15 min)

118.1 mi 2h 47m

via IA 92, I 80; US 6, IA 48

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Red Oak, IA to Des Moines, IA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.