Drive or Fly: Villisca, 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 OMA–DSM. At 148 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 25m

Distance

148.4 mi

Total Cost

$68

CO2

60 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$33

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

4h 25m

12m in the air

Air Distance

104 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

26 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Villisca, IA → OMA 81m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DSM → Ames, IA 52m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Villisca, IA OMA — Eppley Airfield 54 mi, ~81m drive

Ames, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 35 mi, ~52m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between OMA 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

3h 51m

37m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

California Zephyr

Door-to-Door Timeline

Villisca, IA → Creston Amtrak 50m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 37m

Arrival 10m

Osceola Amtrak Station → Ames, IA 104m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From Creston Amtrak 33 mi, ~50m drive

To Osceola Amtrak Station 69 mi, ~104m 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	2h 25m	4h 25m	3h 51m
Total cost (1 person)	$68	$124	$6
Carbon footprint	60 kg CO₂	26 kg CO₂	2 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 12, 2026.

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