Drive or Fly: Urbandale, IA to Harlan, 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–OMA. At 99 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 55m

Distance

99.6 mi

Total Cost

$57

CO2

40 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 18m

10m in the air

Air Distance

83 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

21 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Urbandale, IA → DSM 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

OMA → Harlan, IA 57m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

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

Harlan, IA OMA — Eppley Airfield 38 mi, ~57m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DSM and OMA. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 26m

2h 46m on rail

Total Cost

$23

CO2

6 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Urbandale, IA → Osceola Amtrak Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 166m

Arrival 10m

Omaha Amtrak Station → Harlan, IA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $23) $23

Estimated based on distance. Check amtrak.com for current prices.

Stations

From Osceola Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Omaha Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	1h 55m	3h 18m	4h 26m
Total cost (1 person)	$57	$123	$23
Carbon footprint	40 kg CO₂	21 kg CO₂	6 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

Transit: Amtrak GTFS — fares estimated

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

99.6 mi 1h 55m

via I 80, US 59, I 235

Shortest (+22 min)

90.9 mi 2h 17m

via IA 44, Meredith Drive

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