Drive or Fly: Waterloo, IA to Mason City, 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–MCW. At 83 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 41m

Distance

83 mi

Total Cost

$53

CO2

34 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$18

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 28m

8m in the air

Air Distance

63 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Waterloo, IA → ALO 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

MCW → Mason City, IA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

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

Mason City, IA MCW — Mason City Municipal Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ALO and MCW. 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 41m	2h 28m
Total cost (1 person)	$53	$123
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 15, 2026.

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