Drive or Fly: Hot Springs, AR to Austin, 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–LIT. At 114 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 27m

Distance

114.3 mi

Total Cost

$60

CO2

46 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$25

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 37m

9m in the air

Air Distance

71 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hot Springs, AR → HOT 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LIT → Austin, AR 78m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Hot Springs, AR HOT — Memorial Field Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

Austin, AR LIT — Bill & Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field 52 mi, ~78m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HOT and LIT. 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

3h 26m

1h 6m on rail

Total Cost

CO2

2 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hot Springs, AR → Malvern Amtrak 25m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 66m

Arrival 10m

Little Rock Union Station → Austin, AR 75m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $8) $8

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

Stations

From Malvern Amtrak 17 mi, ~25m drive

To Little Rock Union Station 50 mi, ~75m 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	2h 27m	3h 37m	3h 26m
Total cost (1 person)	$60	$123	$8
Carbon footprint	46 kg CO₂	18 kg CO₂	2 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

114.3 mi 2h 27m

via US 70, US 70B; US 270B, I 40; US 65

Shortest (+6 min)

91.9 mi 2h 33m

via AR 9; AR 10, AR 9, Park Avenue

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Hot Springs, AR to Austin, AR with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.