Drive or Fly: Clayton, MO to Cape Girardeau, 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–CGI. At 127 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 59m

Distance

127.2 mi

Total Cost

$63

CO2

51 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$28

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 34m

12m in the air

Air Distance

102 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

26 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Clayton, MO → STL 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

CGI → Cape Girardeau, MO 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Clayton, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive

Cape Girardeau, MO CGI — Cape Girardeau Regional Airport 6 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between STL and CGI. 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

2h 50m

2h 5m on road

Total Cost

$11

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US1173

Door-to-Door Timeline

Clayton, MO → St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 125m

Arrival 10m

Cape Girardeau (5CG) → Cape Girardeau, MO 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 7 mi, ~10m drive

To 5CG — Cape Girardeau 2 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	1h 59m	2h 34m	2h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$63	$124	$11
Carbon footprint	51 kg CO₂	26 kg CO₂	6 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 Clayton, MO to Cape Girardeau, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.