Drive or Fly: Madison, AL to Odenville, 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 HSV–BHM. At 121 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 25m

Distance

121.8 mi

Total Cost

$62

CO2

49 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$27

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 52m

9m in the air

Air Distance

73 mi

Total Cost

$123

CO2

19 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Madison, AL → HSV 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 9m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

BHM → Odenville, AL 33m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $123) $123

Airports

Madison, AL HSV — Huntsville International Airport 5 mi, ~10m drive

Odenville, AL BHM — Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport 22 mi, ~33m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HSV 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

6h 16m

4h 55m on road

Total Cost

CO2

5 kg

Route

Greyhound US0622s

Door-to-Door Timeline

Madison, AL → Huntsville, AL (HTV6) 17m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 295m

Arrival 10m

Birmingham (Express Carriers) (BHM6) → Odenville, AL 39m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $9) $9

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

Stations

From HTV6 — Huntsville, AL 12 mi, ~17m drive

To BHM6 — Birmingham (Express Carriers) 26 mi, ~39m 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 25m	2h 52m	6h 16m
Total cost (1 person)	$62	$123	$9
Carbon footprint	49 kg CO₂	19 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

121.8 mi 2h 24m

via I 65, I 20, US 411

Shortest (+4 min)

105.1 mi 2h 29m

via US 231, AL 75, US 411

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