Creating extended, highly homogeneous plasma columns like that required by plasma wakefield accelerators can be a challenge. We study the propagation of ultra-short, terawatt power ionizing laser pulses in a 10-meter-long rubidium vapor and the plasma columns they create. We perform experiments and numerical simulations for pulses with 780 nm central wavelength, which is resonant with the D2 transition from the ground state of rubidium atoms, as well as for pulses with 810 nm central wavelength, some distance from resonances. We measure transmitted energy and transverse width of the pulse and use schlieren imaging to probe the plasma column in the vapor close to the end of the vapor source. We find, that resonant pulses are more confined in a transverse direction by the interaction than off-resonant pulses are and that the plasma columns they create are more sharply bounded. Off-resonant pulses leave a wider layer of partially ionized atoms and thus lose more energy per unit propagation distance. Using experimental data, we estimate the energy required to generate a 20-meter-long plasma column and conclude that resonant pulses are much more suitable for creating a long, homogeneous plasma. •Resonant laser pulses are energy-efficient in generating long, homogeneous plasma.•Off-resonant lasers create diffusely bounded plasma, suffering higher energy loss.•Resonant probe Schlieren imaging measures plasma column cross-section accurately.•Energy for integer multiple plasma length inferred from fixed distance propagation.