Drive or Fly: West Des Moines, IA to Le Claire, 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–MLI. At 181 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 25m

Distance

181.7 mi

Total Cost

$75

CO2

73 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$40

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

2h 51m

21m in the air

Air Distance

174 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

44 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Des Moines, IA → DSM 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 21m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MLI → Le Claire, IA 20m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

West Des Moines, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Le Claire, IA MLI — Quad City International Airport 13 mi, ~20m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DSM and MLI. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 38m

3h 45m on road

Total Cost

$18

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Des Moines, IA → Des Moines (DSM6) 11m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 225m

Arrival 10m

Moline Center Station (Metrolink) (MOL6) → Le Claire, IA 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $18) $18

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

Stations

From DSM6 — Des Moines 7 mi, ~11m drive

To MOL6 — Moline Center Station (Metrolink) 11 mi, ~17m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 25m	2h 51m	4h 38m
Total cost (1 person)	$75	$127	$18
Carbon footprint	73 kg CO₂	44 kg CO₂	9 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: FlixBus 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from West Des Moines, IA to Le Claire, IA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.