Drive or Fly: Springdale, AR to Alexander, 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 XNA–LIT. At 205 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 37m

Distance

205.6 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

2h 56m

17m in the air

Air Distance

144 mi

Total Cost

$181

CO2

37 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Springdale, AR → XNA 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 17m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

LIT → Alexander, AR 21m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Springdale, AR XNA — Northwest Arkansas National Airport 12 mi, ~18m drive

Alexander, AR LIT — Bill & Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field 14 mi, ~21m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between XNA and LIT. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

4h 46m

2h 50m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US1148S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Springdale, AR → Van Buren/ Ft Smith Bus Depot (FSM6) 81m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 170m

Arrival 10m

Bryant-Little Rock (Gassy's) (BRT6) → Alexander, AR 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $13) $13

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

Stations

From FSM6 — Van Buren/ Ft Smith Bus Depot 54 mi, ~81m drive

To BRT6 — Bryant-Little Rock (Gassy's) 3 mi, ~10m 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 37m	2h 56m	4h 46m
Total cost (1 person)	$80	$181	$13
Carbon footprint	83 kg CO₂	37 kg CO₂	7 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 16, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

205.6 mi 3h 36m

via I 40; US 71, US 71B, I 430

Shortest (+21 min)

192.1 mi 3h 57m

via I 40, AR 16, AR 23

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