Drive or Fly: Benton, AR to Camden, AR?

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 LIT–ELD. At 88 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 57m

Distance

88.9 mi

Total Cost

$55

CO2

36 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$20
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 21m

8m in the air

Air Distance

69 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Benton, AR → LIT 35m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 8m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
ELD → Camden, AR 38m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Benton, AR LIT — Bill & Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field 24 mi, ~35m drive
Camden, AR ELD — South Arkansas Regional Airport at Goodwin Field 25 mi, ~38m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LIT and ELD. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

2h 31m

25m on rail

Total Cost

$4

CO2

1 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Benton, AR → Malvern Amtrak 28m
Boarding 30m
Train ride 25m
Arrival 10m
Arkadelphia Amtrak Station → Camden, AR 58m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $4) $4

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

Stations

From Malvern Amtrak 19 mi, ~28m drive
To Arkadelphia Amtrak Station 39 mi, ~58m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets
+ Walk around freely during the trip
+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route
+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying
Limited schedule — about 8 trips per week
Amtrak delays can be unpredictable
Need transportation to/from station
Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

Drive Fly Train
Door-to-door time 1h 57m 3h 21m 2h 31m
Total cost (1 person) $55 $123 $4
Carbon footprint 36 kg CO2 18 kg CO2 1 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: Amtrak 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 Benton, AR to Camden, AR with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.