Drive or Fly: Waterloo, IA to Coo n Rapids, 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–FOD. At 165 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 28m

Distance

165.7 mi

Total Cost

$72

CO2

67 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$37

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 45m

15m in the air

Air Distance

127 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

32 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Waterloo, IA → ALO 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FOD → Coo n Rapids, IA 80m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

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

Coo n Rapids, IA FOD — Fort Dodge Regional Airport 53 mi, ~80m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ALO and FOD. 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 20m

1h on road

Total Cost

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Waterloo, IA → Grinnell (GIA6) 87m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 60m

Arrival 10m

Des Moines (DSM6) → Coo n Rapids, IA 88m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From GIA6 — Grinnell 58 mi, ~87m drive

To DSM6 — Des Moines 58 mi, ~88m 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	3h 28m	3h 45m	4h 20m
Total cost (1 person)	$72	$125	$5
Carbon footprint	67 kg CO₂	32 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

165.7 mi 3h 27m

via US 20; IA 27, I 35 Business; US 30, I 35

Shortest (+6 min)

162.6 mi 3h 34m

via US 20; IA 27, Apple Avenue, CR N65

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