Drive or Fly: Hot Springs, AR to Johnson, 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–FSM. At 91 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 10m

Distance

91.9 mi

Total Cost

$55

CO2

37 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$20

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 34m

7m in the air

Air Distance

62 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

16 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hot Springs, AR → HOT 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 7m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FSM → Johnson, AR 77m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

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

Johnson, AR FSM — Fort Smith Regional Airport 52 mi, ~77m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HOT and FSM. 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

3h 11m

1h 45m on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US1148S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Hot Springs, AR → Bryant-Little Rock (Gassy's) (BRT6) 49m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 105m

Arrival 10m

Clarksville (CKS6) → Johnson, AR 12m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From BRT6 — Bryant-Little Rock (Gassy's) 33 mi, ~49m drive

To CKS6 — Clarksville 8 mi, ~12m 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 34m	3h 11m
Total cost (1 person)	$55	$122	$9
Carbon footprint	37 kg CO₂	16 kg CO₂	5 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 17, 2026.

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