There are 8 ways to get from Kentucky to Iowa by plane, bus (Amtrak, Greyhound), bus, train, car, or bus (Greyhound)
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly Louisville International Airport to Des Moines
best- Fly from Louisville International Airport (SDF) to Des Moines (DSM)plane SDF - DSM
5h 15m$100–486Fly Louisville International Airport to Quad City International Airport
cheapest- Fly from Louisville International Airport (SDF) to Quad City International Airport (MLI)plane SDF - MLI
7h 10m$74–435Bus
- Take the bus from Louisville, KY to Indianapolis Union Stationbus Nashville
- Take the bus from Indianapolis Union Station to Des Moinesbus Greyhound US0157S
13h 15m$111–174Bus, train
- Take the bus from Louisville, KY to Indianapolis Union Stationbus
- Take the train from Indianapolis to Chicago Union Stationtrain
- Take the train from Chicago Union Station to Galesburg Amtrak Stationtrain
- Take the bus from Galesburg to Des Moinesbus
17h 56m$251–419Drive 580.9 mi
- Drive from Louisville to Des Moinescar 580.9 mi
9h 46m$106–154Fly Louisville International Airport to Omaha
- Fly from Louisville International Airport (SDF) to Omaha (OMA)plane SDF - OMA
5h 24m$137–683Fly Covington to Quad City International Airport
- Fly from Covington (CVG) to Quad City International Airport (MLI)plane CVG - MLI
6h 53m$84–554Bus via Speedway
- Take the bus from El Mercadito Grocery - Clarksville, IN to Indianapolisbus Memphis
- Take the bus from Indianapolis Union Station to Des Moinesbus Greyhound US0157S
15h 35m$116–180
Louisville International Airport (SDF) to Des Moines (DSM) flights
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Kentucky to Iowa is to drive which costs $100 - $160 and takes 9h 46m.
The fastest way to get from Kentucky to Iowa is to fly which takes 5h 15m and costs $100 - $490.
No, there is no direct bus from Kentucky to Iowa. However, there are services departing from Louisville, KY and arriving at Des Moines via Indianapolis Union Station. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 13h 15m.
The distance between Kentucky and Iowa is 495 miles. The road distance is 584.3 miles.
The best way to get from Kentucky to Iowa without a car is to bus which takes 13h 15m and costs $110 - $180.
It takes approximately 5h 15m to get from Kentucky to Iowa, including transfers.
Kentucky to Iowa bus services, operated by Amtrak Thruway, depart from Louisville, KY station.
The best way to get from Kentucky to Iowa is to fly which takes 5h 15m and costs $100 - $490. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs $110 - $180 and takes 13h 15m.
Kentucky to Iowa bus services, operated by Amtrak Thruway, arrive at Indianapolis Union Station.
Iowa is 1h behind Kentucky. It is currently 8:40 PM in Kentucky and 7:40 PM in Iowa.
What companies run services between Kentucky, USA and Iowa, USA?
Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, and three other airlines fly from Louisville International Airport (SDF) to Des Moines (DSM) hourly. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Louisville, KY to Des Moines via Indianapolis Union Station and Des Moines in around 13h 15m.
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Louisville International Airport to Des Moines via Chicago O'Hare
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 31m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $80–470
Flights from Louisville International Airport to Omaha via Chicago O'Hare
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 37m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–650
Flights from Louisville International Airport to Quad City International Airport via Chicago O'Hare
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 29m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $70–430
Flights from Covington to Quad City International Airport via Chicago O'Hare
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 8m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $80–550
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from Louisville International Airport to Des Moines via Chicago O'Hare
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 28m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $80–470
Flights from Louisville International Airport to Omaha via Charlotte
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 59m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $170–800
Flights from Louisville International Airport to Omaha via Chicago O'Hare
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 22m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–650
Flights from Louisville International Airport to Quad City International Airport via Chicago O'Hare
- Ave. Duration
- 6h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $70–430
Flights from Louisville International Airport to Quad City International Airport via Charlotte
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 5m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $110–600
Flights from Louisville International Airport to Quad City International Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 13m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–700
Flights from Covington to Quad City International Airport via Chicago O'Hare
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 20m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $80–550
Flights from Covington to Quad City International Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 3m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $180–850
Flights from Covington to Quad City International Airport via Charlotte
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 11m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–700
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from Louisville International Airport to Des Moines via Atlanta
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 57m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $110–600
Flights from Louisville International Airport to Des Moines via Detroit
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $100–550
Flights from Louisville International Airport to Des Moines via Minneapolis
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 31m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $100–550
Flights from Louisville International Airport to Omaha via Atlanta
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 38m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $160–800
Flights from Louisville International Airport to Omaha via Minneapolis
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 38m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–700
Flights from Louisville International Airport to Omaha via Detroit
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 31m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $140–750
Flights from Louisville International Airport to Quad City International Airport via Atlanta
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 43m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $110–550
Flights from Covington to Quad City International Airport via Atlanta
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 50m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–700
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from Louisville International Airport to Des Moines via Chicago Midway
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 54m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $80–460
Flights from Louisville International Airport to Des Moines via Nashville
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 45m
- When
- Tuesday and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $90–490
Flights from Louisville International Airport to Omaha via Chicago Midway
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 8m
- When
- Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $110–650
Flights from Louisville International Airport to Omaha via Dallas
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 30m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $180–850
- Website
- allegiantair.com
Flights from Louisville International Airport to Des Moines via Valparaiso
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 21m
- When
- Thursday
- Estimated price
- $140–650
Flights from Covington to Quad City International Airport via Punta Gorda
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 48m
- When
- Monday
- Estimated price
- $230–950
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from Indianapolis to Chicago Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 5h
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- $100–170
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from Chicago Union Station to Galesburg Amtrak Station
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 36m
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- $85–140
- Website
- Amtrak
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak Thruway
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- Amtrak
Bus from Louisville, KY to Indianapolis Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 20m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $22–45
- Website
- Amtrak
- Adult
- $22–45
Bus from Louisville, KY to Indianapolis Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 20m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $22–45
- Website
- Amtrak
- Adult
- $22–45
Rome2Rio's guide to Greyhound USA
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 214-849-8100
- ifsr@greyhound.com
- Website
- Greyhound
Bus from Indianapolis Union Station to Des Moines
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 50m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $80–120
- Website
- Greyhound
Bus from Galesburg to Des Moines
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 55m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $35–55
- Website
- Greyhound
Bus from Indianapolis Union Station to Des Moines
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 50m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $80–120
- Website
- Greyhound
- Phone
- +1 888 358 6762
- info@tornadobus.com
- Website
- Tornado Bus Company
Bus from El Mercadito Grocery - Clarksville, IN to Indianapolis
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 10m
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- $24–45
- Schedules at
- Tornado Bus Company
- Adult
- $24–45
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Booking & Getting There
Yes, the driving distance between Kentucky to Iowa is 584 miles. It takes approximately 9h 46m to drive from Kentucky to Iowa.
There are 196+ hotels available in Iowa.








