Drive or Fly: Storm Lake, IA to Dubuque, 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 FOD–DBQ. At 249 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

Distance

249.9 mi

Total Cost

$91

CO2

101 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$56

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 57m

28m in the air

Air Distance

231 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

59 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Storm Lake, IA → FOD 78m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 28m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DBQ → Dubuque, IA 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Storm Lake, IA FOD — Fort Dodge Regional Airport 52 mi, ~78m drive

Dubuque, IA DBQ — Dubuque Regional Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FOD and DBQ. 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

− 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	4h	3h 57m
Total cost (1 person)	$91	$184
Carbon footprint	101 kg CO₂	59 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 Storm Lake, IA to Dubuque, IA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.