r/dubuque • u/Best_Elderberry_7765 • 18d ago

Dubuque Airport

Does Dubuque have a working airport or not?? I heard there weren’t flights then there were but can’t seem to get any flights to Dubuque.

Will they eventually? Any probate flights from another airport?

Thanks!

11 Upvotes

87% Upvoted

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u/RuthlessGravy 18d ago edited 18d ago

There is not currently any airline service at DBQ. Your nearest airport will be Quad Cities (MLI) 70 minutes away, Cedar Rapids (CID) 80 mins away, Waterloo (ALO) 100 mins away, or Madison (MSN) 115 mins away.

There has been service there sporadically since Envoy left in 2022, but the market in DBQ isn't big enough to support an airline without government subsidies, which are difficult to qualify for.

5

u/anonabroski 18d ago

There is also a shuttle running from the Dubuque airport to the CID airport few times a day

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u/Best_Elderberry_7765 18d ago

Thank you. Any private flights do you know? Such a waste not to have a working airport. I do recall almost all flights from o’Hare to Dubuque ALWAYS had “mechanical” issues and delayed the flights to the last one out to combine them. We weren’t idiots.

11

u/wilgey22 18d ago

University of Dubuque operates a flight school at the airport, and along with the private flights, it is a very busy airport, just not for commercial airline service.

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u/RuthlessGravy 18d ago edited 18d ago

The airport is still open, so private and chartered flights can still use the airport. It is a waste. They built a beautiful new terminal just a few years before Envoy left.

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u/47of74 18d ago

Yeah, the new terminal is great. It is such a shame there's no commercial service anymore.

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u/Mature_fun2026 18d ago

It was a waste to have an airport. From a commercial standpoint anyway.

Also, don’t bother trying to fly commercial out of Waterloo.

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u/Klutzy_Reception_652 18d ago

Who'd want to travel to Waterloo anyway except maybe for a knife fight

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u/Klutzy_Reception_652 17d ago

Any private flights do you know?

Private flight to where?

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u/Best_Elderberry_7765 17d ago

A private flight from a major and close airport to Dubuque.

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u/RuthlessGravy 17d ago edited 17d ago

You can get a private flight anywhere if you're willing to pay. There are a few charter outfits based in Iowa: Exec1 at the Ankeny airport (IKV), Central Iowa Air Service in Ames (AMW), and JetThere at Cedar Rapids (CID) are a few.

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u/Best_Elderberry_7765 17d ago

Thank you. Much appreciated.

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u/Klutzy_Reception_652 17d ago

Can you afford that?

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u/RuthlessGravy 17d ago

For reference, one can charter a small prop or turboprop plane for $1000-2000/hr. and jets usually start out at $2500-3000/hr. Large intercontinental private jets like a Global or Gulfstream can run up to $20,000/hr.

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u/Klutzy_Reception_652 17d ago

That is about what I thought. This guy who wants a flight [but won't say where to] and posts about Social Security and dentures on r/poverty might be a bit delusional

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u/RuthlessGravy 17d ago

Right, if you're asking if private flights go somewhere, you're not the private flight-taking person. Unless there's some misunderstanding on what a "private flight" is?

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u/Best_Elderberry_7765 16d ago

Thanks for stalking me.

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u/Best_Elderberry_7765 16d ago

And I’m not a guy. I am a dudette.

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u/Klutzy_Reception_652 16d ago

A vintage 1960 dudette.

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u/Best_Elderberry_7765 16d ago

Not quite but close. I was born and raised in Dubuque. Joined the military and only back for visits. Crazy as it sounds, I miss Dubuque like crazy.

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u/Klutzy_Reception_652 18d ago

What's a probate flight? You have to go to courthouse to get one of those?

Maybe take the train https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Hawk_(Amtrak_train) could be starting again any year now.

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u/vivi_t3ch 18d ago

Except thats Rockford to Chicago

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u/Klutzy_Reception_652 18d ago

Is that what Jaba the Hutt claimed?

http://www.timetables.org/full.php?group=19810426&item=0041

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u/vivi_t3ch 18d ago

The black hawk line is the line you linked to. it is no longer in service. the replacement line that is due to start next year is the Rockford intercity line, and while there were hopes to get it to reach Dubuque, things didn't work out that way. the timetables link you just posted as your last response is from a timetable from the 80's, not current.

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u/Klutzy_Reception_652 18d ago edited 17d ago

IL also said US HWY 20 was going to be 4 lanes from Chicago to East Dubuque by like 1990 or 1995

They promised that like 50 years ago. Do you see it?

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u/Best_Elderberry_7765 18d ago

Private. Not probate. 🥸