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Drive or Fly: Decatur, AL to Collinsville, AL?

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 HSV–HSV. At 105 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 10m

Distance

105.7 mi

Total Cost

$58

CO2

43 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$23
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 53m

8m in the air

Air Distance

68 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

17 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Decatur, AL → HSV 18m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 8m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
HSV → Collinsville, AL 87m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Decatur, AL HSV — Huntsville International Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive
Collinsville, AL HSV — Huntsville International Airport 58 mi, ~87m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HSV and HSV. 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

7h 38m

6h 10m on road

Total Cost

$6

CO2

3 kg

Route

Greyhound US0622s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Decatur, AL → Huntsville, AL (HTV6) 35m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 370m
Arrival 10m
Gadsden (U-Haul) (GDA6) → Collinsville, AL 28m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $6) $6

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

Stations

From HTV6 — Huntsville, AL 24 mi, ~35m drive
To GDA6 — Gadsden (U-Haul) 19 mi, ~28m 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 2h 10m 3h 53m 7h 38m
Total cost (1 person) $58 $123 $6
Carbon footprint 43 kg CO2 17 kg CO2 3 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest
105.7 mi 2h 10m

via I 565; US 72 Alternate, AL 35, I 59

Shortest (+2 min)
96.3 mi 2h 12m

via AL 67, I 59, US 278

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Decatur, AL to Collinsville, AL with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.