Drive or Fly: Carterville, MO to Saint Peters, 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 JLN–STL. At 275 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 23m

Distance

275.4 mi

Total Cost

$96

CO2

111 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$61

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 59m

28m in the air

Air Distance

237 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

60 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Carterville, MO → JLN 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 28m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

STL → Saint Peters, MO 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Carterville, MO JLN — Joplin Regional Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

Saint Peters, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 14 mi, ~21m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between JLN and STL. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 24m compared to driving

+ Less physical fatigue

+ Predictable arrival time

− Airport security and check-in overhead

− No scheduled commercial flights found for this route

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 58m

5h on road

Total Cost

$28

CO2

15 kg

Route

Greyhound US1210

Door-to-Door Timeline

Carterville, MO → Joplin Bus Station (JOP6) 11m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 300m

Arrival 10m

Saint Louis (Lambert Field) (SOL6) → Saint Peters, MO 22m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

From JOP6 — Joplin Bus Station 7 mi, ~11m drive

To SOL6 — Saint Louis (Lambert Field) 15 mi, ~22m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 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	5h 23m	2h 59m	5h 58m
Total cost (1 person)	$96	$184	$28
Carbon footprint	111 kg CO₂	60 kg CO₂	15 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Carterville, MO to Saint Peters, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.