Drive or Fly: Bonne Terre, MO to Columbia, MO?

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 STL–COU. At 170 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 25m

Distance

170 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

69 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 58m

14m in the air

Air Distance

120 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

31 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bonne Terre, MO → STL 87m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

COU → Columbia, MO 17m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Bonne Terre, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 58 mi, ~87m drive

Columbia, MO COU — Columbia Regional Airport 11 mi, ~17m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between STL and COU. 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

3h 40m

1h 50m on road

Total Cost

CO2

4 kg

Route

Greyhound US0175s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bonne Terre, MO → Washington (WAS6) 75m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 110m

Arrival 10m

Columbia (Wabash Station) (CUC6) → Columbia, MO 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From WAS6 — Washington 50 mi, ~75m drive

To CUC6 — Columbia (Wabash Station) 0 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 25m	3h 58m	3h 40m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$125	$8
Carbon footprint	69 kg CO₂	31 kg CO₂	4 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 Bonne Terre, MO to Columbia, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.