Drive or Fly: Creston, IA to Dubuque, 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–DBQ. At 269 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 24m

Distance

269 mi

Total Cost

$100

CO2

109 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$65

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 51m

26m in the air

Air Distance

215 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

55 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Creston, IA → DSM 74m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 26m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DBQ → Dubuque, IA 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Creston, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 49 mi, ~74m drive

Dubuque, IA DBQ — Dubuque Regional Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DSM and DBQ. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

7h 23m

4h 5m on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US0154S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Creston, IA → Des Moines (DSM6) 84m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 245m

Arrival 10m

Cedar Rapids (Lindale Mall) (CDA6) → Dubuque, IA 89m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From DSM6 — Des Moines 56 mi, ~84m drive

To CDA6 — Cedar Rapids (Lindale Mall) 59 mi, ~89m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~9/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 9 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	5h 24m	3h 51m	7h 23m
Total cost (1 person)	$100	$184	$12
Carbon footprint	109 kg CO₂	55 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 Oct 20, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

269 mi 5h 23m

via US 30, US 151, I 35

Alternative (+3 min)

275.3 mi 5h 26m

via I 80, I 35, US 151

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