Travel Cost from Des Moines to Waterloo
Estimated cost to travel from Des Moines to Waterloo: driving fuel around $100, or flights roughly $80–$250. Full budget breakdown.
Des Moines and Waterloo are about 678 mi (1,091 km) apart in a straight line. By road that works out to roughly 800 mi (1,288 km), a drive of about 13 hr 33 min. A nonstop flight covers the great-circle distance in approximately 1 hr 45 min.
| Straight-line distance | 678 mi / 1,091 km |
| Road distance (est.) | 800 mi / 1,288 km |
| Driving time (est.) | 13 hr 33 min |
| Nonstop flight (est.) | 1 hr 45 min |
| Driving fuel (est., 1-way) | $100 |
| Typical flight fare | $80–$250 |
| Geographic midpoint | 42.720, -87.161 |
Sample budget
Driving fuel one-way is about $100. A simple road trip with one overnight stay and meals comes to roughly $320 for one traveler (fuel $100, lodging $120, food $100). Flights instead run about $80–$250 per person.
Customize in the cost calculatorHow these estimates work
Straight-line distance uses the haversine formula on each city's coordinates. Road distance applies a circuity factor (~1.2–1.4×) and driving time a blended average speed. Flight time uses typical jet cruise speed plus ~30 minutes for taxi, climb and descent. Treat all figures as planning estimates.
Frequently asked questions
Des Moines to Waterloo is about 678 mi (1,091 km) in a straight line, and roughly 800 mi (1,288 km) by road.