Drive or Fly: Davenport, IA to Nora Springs, 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–MCW. At 203 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 2m

Distance

203.5 mi

Total Cost

$78

CO2

82 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$43

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 55m

20m in the air

Air Distance

167 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

43 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Davenport, IA → MLI 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCW → Nora Springs, IA 25m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Nora Springs, IA MCW — Mason City Municipal Airport 16 mi, ~25m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MLI and MCW. 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

4h 59m

3h on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US0154S

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 180m

Arrival 10m

Waterloo (Union Bus Depot) (WER6) → Nora Springs, IA 84m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

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

To WER6 — Waterloo (Union Bus Depot) 56 mi, ~84m 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	4h 2m	2h 55m	4h 59m
Total cost (1 person)	$78	$182	$12
Carbon footprint	82 kg CO₂	43 kg CO₂	7 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 Jun 3, 2026.

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