Drive or Fly: Greene, IA to Des Moines, 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 125 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 33m

Distance

125.1 mi

Total Cost

$63

CO2

51 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$28

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

3h 9m

12m in the air

Air Distance

99 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

25 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Greene, IA → ALO 47m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DSM → Des Moines, IA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Greene, IA ALO — Waterloo Regional Airport 31 mi, ~47m drive

Des Moines, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 5 mi, ~10m 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	2h 33m	3h 9m
Total cost (1 person)	$63	$124
Carbon footprint	51 kg CO₂	25 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

125.1 mi 2h 33m

via I 35, IA 3, IA 14

Shortest (+10 min)

119.9 mi 2h 43m

via IA 14, IA 330, IA 14; IA 175

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