Drive or Fly: Clayton, MO to Florissant, 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–STL. At 13 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

21m

Distance

13.2 mi

Total Cost

$38

CO2

5 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$3

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 23m

1m in the air

Air Distance

10 mi

Total Cost

$120

CO2

3 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Clayton, MO → STL 12m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 1m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

STL → Florissant, MO 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $120) $120

Airports

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

Florissant, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between STL and STL. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

2h 59m

1h 50m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Lincoln Service Missouri River Runner

Door-to-Door Timeline

Clayton, MO → Kirkwood Amtrak Station 10m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 110m

Arrival 10m

Alton Amtrak Station → Florissant, MO 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $5) $5

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

Stations

From Kirkwood Amtrak Station 6 mi, ~10m drive

To Alton Amtrak Station 13 mi, ~19m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~1/week

+ Spacious seating with legroom and power outlets

+ Walk around freely during the trip

+ No driving fatigue — relax or work en route

+ Much lower carbon footprint than driving or flying

− Limited schedule — about 1 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

1h 10m

25m on road

Total Cost

CO2

1 kg

Route

Greyhound US1210

Door-to-Door Timeline

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

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 25m

Arrival 10m

Saint Louis (Lambert Field) (SOL6) → Florissant, MO 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $1) $1

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

Stations

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

To SOL6 — Saint Louis (Lambert Field) 4 mi, ~10m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	21m	2h 23m	2h 59m	1h 10m
Total cost (1 person)	$38	$120	$5	$1
Carbon footprint	5 kg CO₂	3 kg CO₂	2 kg CO₂	1 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: Amtrak GTFS, 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 Clayton, MO to Florissant, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.