Drive or Fly: Bentonville, AR to Fort Smith, 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 XNA–FSM. At 82 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 17m

Distance

82.3 mi

Total Cost

$53

CO2

33 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$18

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 30m

8m in the air

Air Distance

69 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bentonville, AR → XNA 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 8m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FSM → Fort Smith, AR 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Bentonville, AR XNA — Northwest Arkansas National Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

Fort Smith, AR FSM — Fort Smith Regional Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between XNA and FSM. 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	1h 17m	2h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$53	$123
Carbon footprint	33 kg CO₂	18 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Bentonville, AR to Fort Smith, AR with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.