Drive or Fly: Magnolia, AR to Pine Bluff, 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 ELD–LIT. At 109 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 33m

Distance

109 mi

Total Cost

$59

CO2

44 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$24

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 44m

12m in the air

Air Distance

97 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

25 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Magnolia, AR → ELD 37m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 12m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LIT → Pine Bluff, AR 55m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Magnolia, AR ELD — South Arkansas Regional Airport at Goodwin Field 25 mi, ~37m drive

Pine Bluff, AR LIT — Bill & Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field 37 mi, ~55m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ELD 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

4h 47m

2h 16m on rail

Total Cost

$21

CO2

6 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Magnolia, AR → Hope Amtrak Station 52m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 136m

Arrival 10m

Little Rock Union Station → Pine Bluff, AR 59m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From Hope Amtrak Station 34 mi, ~52m drive

To Little Rock Union Station 40 mi, ~59m 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 50m

2h 10m on road

Total Cost

$14

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US0600

Door-to-Door Timeline

Magnolia, AR → Texarkana (Travel Stop) (TEX6) 76m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 130m

Arrival 10m

Bryant-Little Rock (Gassy's) (BRT6) → Pine Bluff, AR 59m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $14) $14

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

Stations

From TEX6 — Texarkana (Travel Stop) 50 mi, ~76m drive

To BRT6 — Bryant-Little Rock (Gassy's) 39 mi, ~59m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~14/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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 33m	3h 44m	4h 47m	4h 50m
Total cost (1 person)	$59	$124	$21	$14
Carbon footprint	44 kg CO₂	25 kg CO₂	6 kg CO₂	7 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, 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Magnolia, AR to Pine Bluff, AR with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.