Drive or Fly: Davenport, IA to Melcher-Dallas, 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 MLI–DSM. At 174 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 34m

Distance

174.7 mi

Total Cost

$74

CO2

71 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$39

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 12m

17m in the air

Air Distance

140 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

36 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Davenport, IA → MLI 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DSM → Melcher-Dallas, IA 45m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

Davenport, IA MLI — Quad City International Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

Melcher-Dallas, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 30 mi, ~45m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MLI 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 5m

3h 40m on road

Total Cost

$17

CO2

9 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Davenport, IA → Davenport (Ground Transportation) (DAV6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 220m

Arrival 10m

Des Moines (DSM6) → Melcher-Dallas, IA 50m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $17) $17

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

Stations

From DAV6 — Davenport (Ground Transportation) 0 mi, ~10m drive

To DSM6 — Des Moines 33 mi, ~50m 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 34m	3h 12m	5h 5m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$126	$17
Carbon footprint	71 kg CO₂	36 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 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

174.7 mi 3h 34m

via US 6, I 80, IA 14

Shortest (+7 min)

162.6 mi 3h 41m

via IA 92, US 61, US 61; IA 92

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