Drive or Fly: Urbandale, IA to Hampton, 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 DSM–MCW. At 97 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 53m

Distance

97.4 mi

Total Cost

$57

CO2

39 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$22

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 5m

10m in the air

Air Distance

81 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

21 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Urbandale, IA → DSM 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCW → Hampton, IA 44m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Urbandale, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

Hampton, IA MCW — Mason City Municipal Airport 30 mi, ~44m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DSM and MCW. 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	1h 53m	3h 5m
Total cost (1 person)	$57	$123
Carbon footprint	39 kg CO₂	21 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.

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