Drive or Fly: Russellville, AR to New Caledonia, 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 HOT–ELD. At 205 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 59m

Distance

205.3 mi

Total Cost

$80

CO2

83 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$45

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

4h 3m

19m in the air

Air Distance

156 mi

Total Cost

$181

CO2

40 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Russellville, AR → HOT 83m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 19m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ELD → New Caledonia, AR 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Russellville, AR HOT — Memorial Field Airport 55 mi, ~83m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between HOT and ELD. 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

3h 39m

1h 59m on rail

Total Cost

$21

CO2

12 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Russellville, AR → Little Rock Union Station 30m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 119m

Arrival 10m

Hope Amtrak Station → New Caledonia, AR 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From Little Rock Union Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To Hope Amtrak Station 0 mi, ~30m 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	3h 59m	4h 3m	3h 39m
Total cost (1 person)	$80	$181	$21
Carbon footprint	83 kg CO₂	40 kg CO₂	12 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 17, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

205.3 mi 3h 58m

via US 167, I 40, I 530; US 65; US 167

Alternative (+13 min)

210.1 mi 4h 12m

via US 167, AR 7, US 270

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