Drive or Fly: Indianola, 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 203 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 8m

Distance

203.6 mi

Total Cost

$85

CO2

82 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$50

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 51m

20m in the air

Air Distance

168 mi

Total Cost

$182

CO2

43 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Indianola, IA → DSM 20m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DBQ → Dubuque, IA 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Indianola, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 13 mi, ~20m 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

6h 27m

4h 5m on road

Total Cost

$12

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US0154S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Indianola, IA → Des Moines (DSM6) 28m

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 19 mi, ~28m 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	4h 8m	2h 51m	6h 27m
Total cost (1 person)	$85	$182	$12
Carbon footprint	82 kg CO₂	43 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

203.6 mi 4h 7m

via US 30, US 151, US 65; IA 330

Alternative (+3 min)

210.7 mi 4h 11m

via I 80; US 6, US 151, IA 1

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