Drive or Fly: Iowa Falls, 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 82 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 37m

Distance

82.5 mi

Total Cost

$53

CO2

33 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$18

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 23m

8m in the air

Air Distance

66 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

17 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Iowa Falls, IA → ALO 65m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DSM → Des Moines, IA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Iowa Falls, IA ALO — Waterloo Regional Airport 43 mi, ~65m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 9m

1h on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Iowa Falls, IA → Grinnell (GIA6) 94m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 60m

Arrival 10m

Des Moines (DSM6) → Des Moines, IA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

Estimated based on distance. Check flixbus.com for current prices.

Stations

From GIA6 — Grinnell 63 mi, ~94m drive

To DSM6 — Des Moines 2 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~7/week

+ Usually the cheapest option

+ Wi-Fi and power outlets on board

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 7 trips per week

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	1h 37m	3h 23m	3h 9m
Total cost (1 person)	$53	$123	$5
Carbon footprint	33 kg CO₂	17 kg CO₂	3 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

Transit: FlixBus GTFS — fares estimated

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 12, 2026.

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