Drive or Fly: Sioux Center, IA to Bettendorf, 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 FSD–MLI. At 376 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

7h 28m

Distance

376.8 mi

Total Cost

$118

CO2

152 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$83

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 55m

37m in the air

Air Distance

308 mi

Total Cost

$187

CO2

79 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Sioux Center, IA → FSD 68m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 37m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MLI → Bettendorf, IA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $132) $132

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Sioux Center, IA FSD — Sioux Falls Regional Airport 45 mi, ~68m drive

Bettendorf, IA MLI — Quad City International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FSD and MLI. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 3h 33m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	7h 28m	3h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$118	$187
Carbon footprint	152 kg CO₂	79 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

376.8 mi 7h 28m

via US 20, I 380; IA 27, I 80

Alternative (+11 min)

386.1 mi 7h 40m

via US 20, US 30, I 80

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