Drive or Fly: Marshalltown, IA to Storm Lake, 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–FOD. At 164 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 18m

Distance

164.2 mi

Total Cost

$71

CO2

66 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$36

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 38m

15m in the air

Air Distance

124 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

32 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Marshalltown, IA → ALO 65m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FOD → Storm Lake, IA 78m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Marshalltown, IA ALO — Waterloo Regional Airport 44 mi, ~65m drive

Storm Lake, IA FOD — Fort Dodge Regional Airport 52 mi, ~78m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ALO and FOD. 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	3h 18m	4h 38m
Total cost (1 person)	$71	$125
Carbon footprint	66 kg CO₂	32 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 12, 2026.

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