Iowa road trips
Iowa Road Trip Fuel Cost Guide
A curated guide to driving in Iowa — every popular route below includes distance, driving time and estimated fuel cost at Iowa's current $3.05/gal average. Start with the editor's picks, then explore 43 more drives.
Pair any route with our trip cost calculator, Iowa gas prices or EV road trip guide.
Editor's picks
Highlighted Iowa road trips
Curated picks before the full list — handpicked for distance, fuel cost and EV practicality.
Editor's picks
Popular Drives in Iowa
Curated short-distance Iowa routes most likely to plan in a single weekend.
Kansas City, MO → Des Moines, IA
212 mi · 3.4 h · ~$23 gas
Minneapolis, MN → Des Moines, IA
277 mi · 4.5 h · ~$30 gas
Des Moines, IA → St. Paul, MN
276 mi · 4.5 h · ~$30 gas
Madison, WI → Des Moines, IA
281 mi · 4.5 h · ~$31 gas
Lincoln, NE → Des Moines, IA
199 mi · 3.2 h · ~$22 gas
Topeka, KS → Des Moines, IA
243 mi · 3.9 h · ~$26 gas
Chicago, IL → Des Moines, IA
365 mi · 5.9 h · ~$40 gas
Omaha, NE → Des Moines, IA
144 mi · 2.3 h · ~$16 gas
All Iowa road trips (43)
Jump to all 43 routesDes Moines, IA → Omaha, NE
144 mi · 2.3 h
Des Moines, IA → Lincoln, NE
199 mi · 3.2 h
Des Moines, IA → Kansas City, MO
212 mi · 3.4 h
Des Moines, IA → Topeka, KS
243 mi · 3.9 h
Des Moines, IA → Sioux Falls, SD
245 mi · 4.0 h
St. Paul, MN → Des Moines, IA
276 mi · 4.5 h
Minneapolis, MN → Des Moines, IA
277 mi · 4.5 h
Madison, WI → Des Moines, IA
281 mi · 4.5 h
Des Moines, IA → St. Louis, MO
322 mi · 5.2 h
Des Moines, IA → Springfield, MO
358 mi · 5.8 h
Milwaukee, WI → Des Moines, IA
364 mi · 5.9 h
Chicago, IL → Des Moines, IA
365 mi · 5.9 h
Des Moines, IA → Wichita, KS
394 mi · 6.4 h
Des Moines, IA → Tulsa, OK
468 mi · 7.5 h
Des Moines, IA → Fargo, ND
469 mi · 7.6 h
Indianapolis, IN → Des Moines, IA
484 mi · 7.8 h
Grand Rapids, MI → Des Moines, IA
492 mi · 7.9 h
Des Moines, IA → Oklahoma City, OK
557 mi · 9.0 h
Louisville, KY → Des Moines, IA
562 mi · 9.1 h
Little Rock, AR → Des Moines, IA
564 mi · 9.1 h
Memphis, TN → Des Moines, IA
572 mi · 9.2 h
Des Moines, IA → Bismarck, ND
596 mi · 9.6 h
Cincinnati, OH → Des Moines, IA
601 mi · 9.7 h
Ann Arbor, MI → Des Moines, IA
602 mi · 9.7 h
Toledo, OH → Des Moines, IA
613 mi · 9.9 h
Nashville, TN → Des Moines, IA
619 mi · 10.0 h
Lexington, KY → Des Moines, IA
640 mi · 10.3 h
Detroit, MI → Des Moines, IA
643 mi · 10.4 h
Columbus, OH → Des Moines, IA
669 mi · 10.8 h
Des Moines, IA → Cheyenne, WY
686 mi · 11.1 h
More routes (13)
Huntsville, AL → Des Moines, IA
718 mi · 11.6 h
Des Moines, IA → Denver, CO
719 mi · 11.6 h
Cleveland, OH → Des Moines, IA
727 mi · 11.7 h
Des Moines, IA → Boulder, CO
730 mi · 11.8 h
Des Moines, IA → Colorado Springs, CO
732 mi · 11.8 h
Des Moines, IA → Amarillo, TX
737 mi · 11.9 h
Shreveport, LA → Des Moines, IA
740 mi · 11.9 h
Des Moines, IA → Dallas, TX
747 mi · 12.0 h
Atlanta, GA → Des Moines, IA
873 mi · 14.1 h
Des Moines, IA → Houston, TX
971 mi · 15.7 h
New York, NY → Des Moines, IA
1203 mi · 19.4 h
Orlando, FL → Des Moines, IA
1338 mi · 21.6 h
Des Moines, IA → Las Vegas, NV
1431 mi · 23.1 h
Best driving cost routes in Iowa
Top Iowa road trips with gas, distance and driving time at the state's estimated $3.05/gal.
Cheapest Iowa road trips
Short, low-fuel-cost drives — great for a weekend trip from Iowa.
Long-distance road trips from Iowa
500+ mile drives for cross-country and multi-day road trip planning.
Drives in neighboring states
Cross-state routes near Iowa — Nebraska, South Dakota, Missouri.
Gas prices in Iowa
Estimated regular at $3.05/gal · premium $3.65 · diesel $3.40.
Best vehicles for Iowa drivers
- Best hybridToyota Prius57 MPG
- Best EVLucid Air134 MPGe
- Best SUVNissan Rogue33 MPG
- Best truckFord Maverick26 MPG
Commute cost in Iowa
Daily driving cost estimates for major Iowa-area cities.
EV vs gas in Iowa
Compare driving cost of an EV vs a gas car for Iowa trips and commutes.