Your total trip with all stops is around 1,070 miles / 1720 km, taking roughly 18 hours for the whole trip. If you want to see every small town along the way, you can get a full list of cities between PNS and DSM.
Start from Pensacola International Airport.
Meridian, Mississippi is stopping point #1 after driving about 190 miles (310 km) or 3 hours.
Jackson, Tennessee is stopping point #2 after driving about 250 miles (400 km) or 4.5 hours. Your total trip so far is about 440 miles or 710 km over roughly 7.5 hours of driving.
Saint Louis, Missouri is stopping point #3 after driving about 270 miles (430 km) or 4 hours. Your total trip so far is about 710 miles or 1140 km over roughly 11.5 hours of driving.
Quincy, Illinois is stopping point #4 after driving about 140 miles (220 km) or 2.5 hours. Your total trip so far is about 840 miles or 1360 km over roughly 14 hours of driving.
Finally, Des Moines International Airport is your destination after driving about 220 miles (360 km) or 4 hours. Your total trip with all stops is around 1,070 miles or 1720 km, taking roughly 18 hours for the whole trip.
Travelmath helps you figure out where to stop when planning a long road trip from one location to another. The best stopping point for an overnight hotel stay or a break from driving often depends on how far or how long you want to drive before pausing to rest. You can find the closest city to your stopping point to look for hotels, or explore other cities and towns along the route. Use this as a road trip planner when you're driving cross-country or mapping a route with multiple stops.