Drive or Fly: Urbandale, IA to Iowa Falls, 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 85 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 42m

Distance

85.6 mi

Total Cost

$54

CO2

35 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$19

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 24m

8m in the air

Air Distance

66 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

17 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Urbandale, IA → DSM 11m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ALO → Iowa Falls, IA 65m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Urbandale, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 7 mi, ~11m drive

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

3h 4m

55m on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Urbandale, IA → Des Moines (DSM6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 55m

Arrival 10m

Grinnell (GIA6) → Iowa Falls, IA 94m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From DSM6 — Des Moines 6 mi, ~10m drive

To GIA6 — Grinnell 63 mi, ~94m 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 42m	3h 24m	3h 4m
Total cost (1 person)	$54	$123	$5
Carbon footprint	35 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 16, 2026.

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