Drive or Fly: Fayette, IA to Indiana, 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 ALO–DSM. At 177 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 15m

Distance

177.5 mi

Total Cost

$74

CO2

72 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$39

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

4h 10m

16m in the air

Air Distance

129 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

33 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fayette, IA → ALO 54m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DSM → Indiana, IA 60m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Fayette, IA ALO — Waterloo Regional Airport 36 mi, ~54m drive

Indiana, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 40 mi, ~60m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ALO 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	4h 15m	4h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$74	$125
Carbon footprint	72 kg CO₂	33 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

177.5 mi 4h 14m

via US 63, IA 150, I 80

Alternative (+1 min)

178.3 mi 4h 16m

via IA 14, IA 150, IA 3

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Fayette, IA to Indiana, IA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.