Drive or Fly: Mount Vernon, MO to Saint Charles, MO?

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 SGF–STL. At 250 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 40m

Distance

250 mi

Total Cost

$91

CO2

101 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$56

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 14m

26m in the air

Air Distance

216 mi

Total Cost

$184

CO2

55 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Vernon, MO → SGF 38m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 26m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

STL → Saint Charles, MO 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $129) $129

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Mount Vernon, MO SGF — Springfield Branson National Airport 26 mi, ~38m drive

Saint Charles, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 7 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between SGF and STL. 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

− May need a rental car at destination

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 54m

3h 35m on road

Total Cost

$21

CO2

11 kg

Route

Greyhound US1210

Door-to-Door Timeline

Mount Vernon, MO → Springfield CU Transit Center (SPR6) 44m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 215m

Arrival 10m

Saint Louis (Lambert Field) (SOL6) → Saint Charles, MO 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From SPR6 — Springfield CU Transit Center 30 mi, ~44m drive

To SOL6 — Saint Louis (Lambert Field) 7 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~8/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 8 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	4h 40m	3h 14m	4h 54m
Total cost (1 person)	$91	$184	$21
Carbon footprint	101 kg CO₂	55 kg CO₂	11 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 13, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Mount Vernon, MO to Saint Charles, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.