Drive or Fly: Remsen, IA to West 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 SUX–DSM. At 196 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 13m

Distance

196 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 20m

17m in the air

Air Distance

144 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Remsen, IA → SUX 53m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DSM → West Des Moines, IA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Remsen, IA SUX — Sioux Gateway Airport / Brigadier General Bud Day Field 36 mi, ~53m drive

West Des Moines, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SUX 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	4h 13m	3h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$78	$126
Carbon footprint	79 kg CO₂	37 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

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

196 mi 4h 12m

via US 20, US 169, IA 141

Alternative (+3 min)

213.6 mi 4h 15m

via US 20, I 35, IA 140

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