Drive or Fly: Noel, MO to St. Louis, 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 XNA–STL. At 318 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 57m

Distance

318.8 mi

Total Cost

$106

CO2

129 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$71

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 23m

33m in the air

Air Distance

275 mi

Total Cost

$186

CO2

70 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Noel, MO → XNA 31m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 33m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

STL → St. Louis, MO 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $131) $131

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Noel, MO XNA — Northwest Arkansas National Airport 21 mi, ~31m drive

St. Louis, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between XNA and STL. Flight estimates above are theoretical.

+ Saves about 2h 34m compared to driving

+ 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

6h 54m

5h 23m on road

Total Cost

$29

CO2

15 kg

Route

Greyhound US1210

Door-to-Door Timeline

Noel, MO → Joplin Bus Station (JOP6) 56m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 323m

Arrival 10m

St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) → St. Louis, MO 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $29) $29

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

Stations

From JOP6 — Joplin Bus Station 37 mi, ~56m drive

To SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 0 mi, ~10m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~15/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	Bus
Door-to-door time	5h 57m	3h 23m	6h 54m
Total cost (1 person)	$106	$186	$29
Carbon footprint	129 kg CO₂	70 kg CO₂	15 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 Noel, MO to St. Louis, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.