Drive or Fly: Strawberry Point, 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 ALO–ALO. At 58 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 15m

Distance

58.7 mi

Total Cost

$48

CO2

24 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$13

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 22m

5m in the air

Air Distance

43 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Strawberry Point, IA → ALO 67m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ALO → Waterloo, IA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Strawberry Point, IA ALO — Waterloo Regional Airport 45 mi, ~67m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ALO 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

4h 48m

1h 10m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Strawberry Point, IA → Iowa City (ICY6) 106m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 70m

Arrival 10m

Grinnell (GIA6) → Waterloo, IA 87m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From ICY6 — Iowa City 71 mi, ~106m 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	1h 15m	3h 22m	4h 48m
Total cost (1 person)	$48	$122	$7
Carbon footprint	24 kg CO₂	11 kg CO₂	4 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.

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