Drive or Fly: Saint Charles, MO to Anderson, 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 STL–XNA. At 310 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 47m

Distance

310.7 mi

Total Cost

$104

CO2

126 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$69

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 21m

31m in the air

Air Distance

262 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

67 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Charles, MO → STL 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 31m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

XNA → Anderson, MO 40m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $130) $130

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

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

Anderson, MO XNA — Northwest Arkansas National Airport 27 mi, ~40m drive

No scheduled flights found

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

+ Saves about 2h 26m 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 30m

5h 5m on road

Total Cost

$28

CO2

18 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Charles, MO → Saint Louis (Lambert Field) (SOL6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 305m

Arrival 10m

Joplin Bus Station (JOP6) → Anderson, MO 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

From SOL6 — Saint Louis (Lambert Field) 0 mi, ~30m drive

To JOP6 — Joplin Bus Station 0 mi, ~30m 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	5h 47m	3h 21m	6h 30m
Total cost (1 person)	$104	$185	$28
Carbon footprint	126 kg CO₂	67 kg CO₂	18 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 Saint Charles, MO to Anderson, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.