Drive or Fly: Chesterfield, MO to Bolivar, 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–SGF. At 192 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 56m

Distance

192.9 mi

Total Cost

$78

CO2

78 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$43

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 17m

20m in the air

Air Distance

170 mi

Total Cost

$127

CO2

43 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chesterfield, MO → STL 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 20m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SGF → Bolivar, MO 38m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $127) $127

Airports

Chesterfield, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

Bolivar, MO SGF — Springfield Branson National Airport 26 mi, ~38m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between STL and SGF. 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

5h 7m

3h 40m on road

Total Cost

$21

CO2

11 kg

Route

Greyhound US1210

Door-to-Door Timeline

Chesterfield, MO → Saint Louis (Lambert Field) (SOL6) 19m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 220m

Arrival 10m

Springfield CU Transit Center (SPR6) → Bolivar, MO 43m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From SOL6 — Saint Louis (Lambert Field) 13 mi, ~19m drive

To SPR6 — Springfield CU Transit Center 29 mi, ~43m 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	3h 56m	3h 17m	5h 7m
Total cost (1 person)	$78	$127	$21
Carbon footprint	78 kg CO₂	43 kg CO₂	11 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 17, 2026.

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