Drive or Fly: Iowa Falls, IA to Ames, 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 53 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

1h 6m

Distance

53.1 mi

Total Cost

$47

CO2

21 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$12

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

4h 2m

5m in the air

Air Distance

39 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

10 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Iowa Falls, IA → ALO 65m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 5m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DSM → Ames, IA 52m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

Iowa Falls, IA ALO — Waterloo Regional Airport 43 mi, ~65m drive

Ames, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 35 mi, ~52m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

2h 15m

40m on road

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Greyhound US0154S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Iowa Falls, IA → Marshalltown (Git N Go) (MRH6) 60m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 40m

Arrival 10m

Ames (Phillips 66) (AES6) → Ames, IA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From MRH6 — Marshalltown (Git N Go) 40 mi, ~60m drive

To AES6 — Ames (Phillips 66) 2 mi, ~10m 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	1h 6m	4h 2m	2h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$47	$122	$4
Carbon footprint	21 kg CO₂	10 kg CO₂	2 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 21, 2026.

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