Drive or Fly: Pleasant Hill, IA to Waterloo, 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 DSM–ALO. At 107 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 24m

Distance

107.9 mi

Total Cost

$59

CO2

44 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$24

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

2h 32m

10m in the air

Air Distance

87 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

22 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pleasant Hill, IA → DSM 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 10m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ALO → Waterloo, IA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Pleasant Hill, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

Waterloo, IA ALO — Waterloo Regional Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DSM and ALO. 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

2h 57m

55m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 55m

Arrival 10m

Grinnell (GIA6) → Waterloo, IA 87m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From DSM6 — Des Moines 5 mi, ~10m drive

To GIA6 — Grinnell 58 mi, ~87m 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	2h 24m	2h 32m	2h 57m
Total cost (1 person)	$59	$123	$5
Carbon footprint	44 kg CO₂	22 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

107.9 mi 2h 24m

via US 65; IA 330, IA 14, US 20

Alternative (+10 min)

131 mi 2h 34m

via US 20, I 35, US 65

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