Drive or Fly: Delaware, AR to Cave City, AR?

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 HOT–JBR. At 167 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 26m

Distance

167.6 mi

Total Cost

$72

CO2

68 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$37

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

4h 55m

13m in the air

Air Distance

108 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

28 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Delaware, AR → HOT 85m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

JBR → Cave City, AR 77m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Delaware, AR HOT — Memorial Field Airport 57 mi, ~85m drive

Cave City, AR JBR — Jonesboro Municipal Airport 51 mi, ~77m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HOT and JBR. 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

5h 15m

2h 2m on rail

Total Cost

$24

CO2

7 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Delaware, AR → Little Rock Union Station 102m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 122m

Arrival 10m

Walnut Ridge Amtrak Station → Cave City, AR 51m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $24) $24

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

Stations

From Little Rock Union Station 68 mi, ~102m drive

To Walnut Ridge Amtrak Station 34 mi, ~51m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 trips per week

− Amtrak delays can be unpredictable

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	3h 26m	4h 55m	5h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$72	$124	$24
Carbon footprint	68 kg CO₂	28 kg CO₂	7 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 — 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 15, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Delaware, AR to Cave City, AR with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.