Drive or Fly: East Florence, AL to Gardendale, 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 MSL–BHM. At 105 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 6m

Distance

105.8 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

2h 32m

11m in the air

Air Distance

93 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

24 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

East Florence, AL → MSL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 11m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BHM → Gardendale, AL 11m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

East Florence, AL MSL — Northwest Alabama Regional Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

Gardendale, AL BHM — Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport 8 mi, ~11m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between MSL and BHM. 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

4h 5m

3h 15m on road

Total Cost

$11

CO2

6 kg

Route

Greyhound US0622s

Door-to-Door Timeline

East Florence, AL → Florence (Wavaho Gas Station) (FLA6) 10m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 195m

Arrival 10m

Birmingham (Express Carriers) (BHM6) → Gardendale, AL 15m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $11) $11

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

Stations

From FLA6 — Florence (Wavaho Gas Station) 3 mi, ~10m drive

To BHM6 — Birmingham (Express Carriers) 10 mi, ~15m 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 6m	2h 32m	4h 5m
Total cost (1 person)	$58	$124	$11
Carbon footprint	43 kg CO₂	24 kg CO₂	6 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.

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