Drive or Fly: Pine Bluff, AR to Charleston, 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 LIT–FSM. At 187 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 27m

Distance

187 mi

Total Cost

$76

CO2

76 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$41

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 39m

16m in the air

Air Distance

137 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

35 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pine Bluff, AR → LIT 55m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FSM → Charleston, AR 28m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

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

Charleston, AR FSM — Fort Smith Regional Airport 19 mi, ~28m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LIT and FSM. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 15m

2h 50m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

11 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Pine Bluff, AR → Bryant-Little Rock (Gassy's) (BRT6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 170m

Arrival 10m

Van Buren/ Ft Smith Bus Depot (FSM6) → Charleston, AR 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From BRT6 — Bryant-Little Rock (Gassy's) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To FSM6 — Van Buren/ Ft Smith Bus Depot 0 mi, ~30m 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	Bus
Door-to-door time	3h 27m	3h 39m	4h 15m
Total cost (1 person)	$76	$125	$13
Carbon footprint	76 kg CO₂	35 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 15, 2026.

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