Drive or Fly: Sergeant Bluff, IA to Ames, 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 180 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 47m

Distance

180.8 mi

Total Cost

$75

CO2

73 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

3h 19m

17m in the air

Air Distance

142 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

36 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sergeant Bluff, IA → SUX 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DSM → Ames, IA 52m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Sergeant Bluff, IA SUX — Sioux Gateway Airport / Brigadier General Bud Day Field 1 mi, ~10m drive

Ames, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 35 mi, ~52m 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	2h 47m	3h 19m
Total cost (1 person)	$75	$126
Carbon footprint	73 kg CO₂	36 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 12, 2026.

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