Drive or Fly: Dubuque, IA to Creston, 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 DBQ–DSM. At 268 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

5h 22m

Distance

268.6 mi

Total Cost

$92

CO2

109 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$57

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

Dubuque, IA → DBQ 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 26m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DSM → Creston, IA 74m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DBQ 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 45m

2h 20m on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Dubuque, IA → Cedar Rapids (Lindale Mall) (CDA6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 140m

Arrival 10m

Des Moines (DSM6) → Creston, IA 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $12) $12

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

Stations

From CDA6 — Cedar Rapids (Lindale Mall) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To DSM6 — Des Moines 0 mi, ~30m 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	5h 22m	3h 51m	3h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$92	$184	$12
Carbon footprint	109 kg CO₂	55 kg CO₂	16 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

268.6 mi 5h 22m

via US 151, I 35, US 30

Alternative (+2 min)

280 mi 5h 24m

via I 80, US 151, I 35

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