Drive or Fly: New Caledonia, AR to Danville, 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–HOT. At 201 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 4m

Distance

201.1 mi

Total Cost

$79

CO2

81 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$44

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 43m

17m in the air

Air Distance

144 mi

Total Cost

$181

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Caledonia, AR → ELD 21m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HOT → Danville, AR 65m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

New Caledonia, AR ELD — South Arkansas Regional Airport at Goodwin Field 14 mi, ~21m drive

Danville, AR HOT — Memorial Field Airport 43 mi, ~65m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between ELD and HOT. 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

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 59m

1h 10m on rail

Total Cost

$13

CO2

4 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

New Caledonia, AR → Hope Amtrak Station 102m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 70m

Arrival 10m

Malvern Amtrak → Danville, AR 87m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From Hope Amtrak Station 68 mi, ~102m drive

To Malvern Amtrak 58 mi, ~87m 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Train
Door-to-door time	4h 4m	3h 43m	4h 59m
Total cost (1 person)	$79	$181	$13
Carbon footprint	81 kg CO₂	37 kg CO₂	4 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 — 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

201.1 mi 4h 3m

via US 167, AR 7, US 270

Shortest (+6 min)

197 mi 4h 10m

via AR 7, US 63; US 167; AR 7, I 30

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from New Caledonia, AR to Danville, AR with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.