Drive or Fly: Shell Rock, IA to Sioux City, 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–SUX. At 213 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 24m

Distance

213.3 mi

Total Cost

$82

CO2

86 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$47

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 55m

23m in the air

Air Distance

195 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

50 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Shell Rock, IA → ALO 21m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 23m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SUX → Sioux City, IA 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Shell Rock, IA ALO — Waterloo Regional Airport 14 mi, ~21m drive

Sioux City, IA SUX — Sioux Gateway Airport / Brigadier General Bud Day Field 7 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ALO and SUX. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	4h 24m	2h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$82	$183
Carbon footprint	86 kg CO₂	50 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

213.3 mi 4h 24m

via US 20, IA 3, I 35

Alternative (+0 min)

215.8 mi 4h 24m

via US 20, Sinclair Avenue, Butler Center Road

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Shell Rock, IA to Sioux City, IA with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.