Drive or Fly: West Des Moines, IA to Buffalo (historical), 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–DSM. At 34 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

47m

Distance

34 mi

Total Cost

$43

CO2

14 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$8

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 49m

3m in the air

Air Distance

24 mi

Total Cost

$121

CO2

6 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

West Des Moines, IA → DSM 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 3m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DSM → Buffalo (historical), IA 36m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $121) $121

Airports

West Des Moines, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Buffalo (historical), IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 24 mi, ~36m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DSM 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	47m	2h 49m
Total cost (1 person)	$43	$121
Carbon footprint	14 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

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

34 mi 47m

via US 169, I 80, I 235

Shortest (+1 min)

32.7 mi 48m

via IA 92, I 35, Grand Avenue

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from West Des Moines, IA to Buffalo (historical), IA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.