Drive or Fly: Shannon Hills, 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 LIT–ELD. At 125 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

2h 45m

Distance

125.2 mi

Total Cost

$63

CO2

51 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$28

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

2h 52m

13m in the air

Air Distance

109 mi

Total Cost

$124

CO2

28 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Shannon Hills, AR → LIT 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 13m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

ELD → New Caledonia, AR 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $124) $124

Airports

Shannon Hills, AR LIT — Bill & Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field 12 mi, ~18m drive

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

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between LIT 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

− Luggage fees and restrictions

− Less flexibility for stops along the way

Train

Amtrak

Door to Door

4h 37m

1h 59m on rail

Total Cost

$21

CO2

6 kg

Route

Texas Eagle

Door-to-Door Timeline

Shannon Hills, AR → Little Rock Union Station 16m

Boarding 30m

Train ride 119m

Arrival 10m

Hope Amtrak Station → New Caledonia, AR 102m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From Little Rock Union Station 11 mi, ~16m drive

To Hope Amtrak Station 68 mi, ~102m 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	2h 45m	2h 52m	4h 37m
Total cost (1 person)	$63	$124	$21
Carbon footprint	51 kg CO₂	28 kg CO₂	6 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 18, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

125.2 mi 2h 44m

via US 167, AR 367, US 79; US 167

Alternative (+23 min)

140 mi 3h 8m

via US 167, US 79, I 530; US 65; US 167

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