Drive or Fly: Waterloo, IA to Baxter, 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–DSM. At 84 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 59m

Distance

84.5 mi

Total Cost

$54

CO2

34 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 7m

7m in the air

Air Distance

62 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Waterloo, IA → ALO 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DSM → Baxter, IA 50m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

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

Baxter, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 33 mi, ~50m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ALO and DSM. 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	1h 59m	3h 7m
Total cost (1 person)	$54	$122
Carbon footprint	34 kg CO₂	16 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

84.5 mi 1h 59m

via IA 14, US 20; IA 27, IA 330

Alternative (+1 min)

84.9 mi 2h 1m

via US 63, US 30, S62

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