Drive or Fly: Mena, AR to Little Rock, 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 FSM–LIT. At 133 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

2h 54m

Distance

133.9 mi

Total Cost

$65

CO2

54 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$30

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 41m

13m in the air

Air Distance

111 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

28 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mena, AR → FSM 78m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LIT → Little Rock, AR 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Mena, AR FSM — Fort Smith Regional Airport 52 mi, ~78m drive

Little Rock, AR LIT — Bill & Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field 4 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FSM 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 56m

2h 16m on rail

Total Cost

$21

CO2

6 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mena, AR → Hope Amtrak Station 110m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 136m

Arrival 10m

Little Rock Union Station → Little Rock, AR 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From Hope Amtrak Station 73 mi, ~110m drive

To Little Rock Union Station 0 mi, ~10m 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

5h 3m

2h 50m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US1148S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mena, AR → Van Buren/ Ft Smith Bus Depot (FSM6) 87m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 170m

Arrival 10m

Bryant-Little Rock (Gassy's) (BRT6) → Little Rock, AR 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From FSM6 — Van Buren/ Ft Smith Bus Depot 58 mi, ~87m drive

To BRT6 — Bryant-Little Rock (Gassy's) 14 mi, ~21m 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	Train	Bus
Door-to-door time	2h 54m	3h 41m	4h 56m	5h 3m
Total cost (1 person)	$65	$124	$21	$13
Carbon footprint	54 kg CO₂	28 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Mena, AR to Little Rock, AR with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.