Drive or Fly: Columbia, MO to Bonne Terre, 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 COU–STL. At 168 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 22m

Distance

168.9 mi

Total Cost

$73

CO2

68 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

Columbia, MO → COU 17m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 14m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

STL → Bonne Terre, MO 87m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

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

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between COU 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

3h 45m

2h 20m on road

Total Cost

CO2

10 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Columbia, MO → Columbia (Wabash Station) (CUC6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 140m

Arrival 10m

Washington (WAS6) → Bonne Terre, MO 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From CUC6 — Columbia (Wabash Station) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To WAS6 — Washington 0 mi, ~30m 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 22m	3h 58m	3h 45m
Total cost (1 person)	$73	$125	$8
Carbon footprint	68 kg CO₂	31 kg CO₂	10 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 Columbia, MO to Bonne Terre, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.