Drive or Fly: Cedar Rapids, IA to Fort Dodge, 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 CID–FOD. At 149 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 56m

Distance

149.9 mi

Total Cost

$68

CO2

61 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

2h 40m

16m in the air

Air Distance

133 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

34 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cedar Rapids, IA → CID 14m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FOD → Fort Dodge, IA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Cedar Rapids, IA CID — The Eastern Iowa Airport 9 mi, ~14m drive

Fort Dodge, IA FOD — Fort Dodge Regional Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between CID and FOD. 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

5h 2m

3h 20m on road

Total Cost

$11

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US0154S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Cedar Rapids, IA → Cedar Rapids (Lindale Mall) (CDA6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 200m

Arrival 10m

Ames (Phillips 66) (AES6) → Fort Dodge, IA 67m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From CDA6 — Cedar Rapids (Lindale Mall) 2 mi, ~10m drive

To AES6 — Ames (Phillips 66) 45 mi, ~67m 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	2h 56m	2h 40m	5h 2m
Total cost (1 person)	$68	$125	$11
Carbon footprint	61 kg CO₂	34 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: 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 21, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Cedar Rapids, IA to Fort Dodge, IA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.