Drive or Fly: Saint Peters, 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 307 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

5h 51m

Distance

307.8 mi

Total Cost

$103

CO2

124 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$68
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 32m

31m in the air

Air Distance

256 mi

Total Cost

$185

CO2

65 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Peters, MO → STL 21m
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 Peters, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 14 mi, ~21m 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 19m 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 38m

5h 5m on road

Total Cost

$28

CO2

15 kg

Route

Greyhound US1210

Door-to-Door Timeline

Saint Peters, MO → Saint Louis (Lambert Field) (SOL6) 22m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 305m
Arrival 10m
Joplin Bus Station (JOP6) → Anderson, MO 46m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $28) $28

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

Stations

From SOL6 — Saint Louis (Lambert Field) 15 mi, ~22m drive
To JOP6 — Joplin Bus Station 31 mi, ~46m 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 51m 3h 32m 6h 38m
Total cost (1 person) $103 $185 $28
Carbon footprint 124 kg CO2 65 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 12, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Saint Peters, MO to Anderson, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.