Drive or Fly: Pleasantville, IA to Waterloo, 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 DSM–ALO. At 129 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 46m

Distance

129.6 mi

Total Cost

$64

CO2

52 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$29

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 55m

11m in the air

Air Distance

90 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

23 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pleasantville, IA → DSM 34m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ALO → Waterloo, IA 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Pleasantville, IA DSM — Des Moines International Airport 23 mi, ~34m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between DSM and ALO. 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	2h 46m	2h 55m
Total cost (1 person)	$64	$124
Carbon footprint	52 kg CO₂	23 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 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

129.6 mi 2h 46m

via US 65; IA 330, IA 14, US 20

Shortest (+1 min)

129.6 mi 2h 48m

via US 63, US 65; IA 330, US 30

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