Drive or Fly: Duenweg, MO to St. Louis, 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 JLN–STL. At 278 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 10m

Distance

278.8 mi

Total Cost

$97

CO2

113 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$62
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 59m

30m in the air

Air Distance

253 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

65 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Duenweg, MO → JLN 10m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 30m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
STL → St. Louis, MO 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Duenweg, MO JLN — Joplin Regional Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive
St. Louis, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between JLN and STL. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 11m compared to driving
+ Less physical fatigue
+ Predictable arrival time
Airport security and check-in overhead
No scheduled commercial flights found for this route
May need a rental car at destination
Luggage fees and restrictions
Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

6h 9m

5h 23m on road

Total Cost

$29

CO2

15 kg

Route

Greyhound US1210

Door-to-Door Timeline

Duenweg, MO → Joplin Bus Station (JOP6) 11m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 323m
Arrival 10m
St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) → St. Louis, MO 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $29) $29

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

Stations

From JOP6 — Joplin Bus Station 7 mi, ~11m drive
To SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~15/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
Travel time longer than driving
Need transportation to/from station
Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

Drive Fly Bus
Door-to-door time 5h 10m 2h 59m 6h 9m
Total cost (1 person) $97 $185 $29
Carbon footprint 113 kg CO2 65 kg CO2 15 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 Duenweg, MO to St. Louis, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.