Drive or Fly: Waterloo, IA to Fort Madison, 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–BRL. At 164 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 13m

Distance

164.7 mi

Total Cost

$71

CO2

67 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$36

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 49m

17m in the air

Air Distance

139 mi

Total Cost

$126

CO2

36 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Waterloo, IA → ALO 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BRL → Fort Madison, IA 22m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Airports

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

Fort Madison, IA BRL — Southeast Iowa Regional Airport 15 mi, ~22m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ALO and BRL. 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 50m

1h 10m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0155S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Waterloo, IA → Grinnell (GIA6) 87m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 70m

Arrival 10m

Iowa City (ICY6) → Fort Madison, IA 108m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $7) $7

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

Stations

From GIA6 — Grinnell 58 mi, ~87m drive

To ICY6 — Iowa City 72 mi, ~108m 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 13m	2h 49m	4h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$71	$126	$7
Carbon footprint	67 kg CO₂	36 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 18, 2026.

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