Drive or Fly: Alabaster, AL to Dothan, AL?

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 BHM–DHN. At 172 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 33m

Distance

172.3 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

70 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$38

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 4m

20m in the air

Air Distance

163 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

41 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alabaster, AL → BHM 33m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

DHN → Dothan, AL 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Alabaster, AL BHM — Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive

Dothan, AL DHN — Dothan Regional Airport 8 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between BHM and DHN. 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

4h 48m

3h 45m on road

Total Cost

$20

CO2

10 kg

Route

Greyhound US0115

Door-to-Door Timeline

Alabaster, AL → Birmingham (Express Carriers) (BHM6) 28m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 225m

Arrival 10m

Dothan (Raceway) (DOT6) → Dothan, AL 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $20) $20

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

Stations

From BHM6 — Birmingham (Express Carriers) 19 mi, ~28m drive

To DOT6 — Dothan (Raceway) 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	3h 33m	3h 4m	4h 48m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$127	$20
Carbon footprint	70 kg CO₂	41 kg CO₂	10 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Alabaster, AL to Dothan, AL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.