Drive or Fly: Waterloo, IA to North English, 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–CID. At 80 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 2m

Distance

80.9 mi

Total Cost

$53

CO2

33 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

3h 6m

8m in the air

Air Distance

69 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Waterloo, IA → ALO 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CID → North English, IA 48m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

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

North English, IA CID — The Eastern Iowa Airport 32 mi, ~48m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ALO and CID. 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 47m

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) → North English, IA 45m

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 30 mi, ~45m 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	2h 2m	3h 6m	3h 47m
Total cost (1 person)	$53	$123	$7
Carbon footprint	33 kg CO₂	18 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.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

80.9 mi 2h 2m

via IA 21, CR V66, IA 212

Alternative (+5 min)

86.7 mi 2h 7m

via CR V66, I 380; IA 27, US 218

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