Drive or Fly: Springdale, AR to Alma, 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–FSM. At 55 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

1h 4m

Distance

55.8 mi

Total Cost

$47

CO2

23 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$12

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 43m

6m in the air

Air Distance

49 mi

Total Cost

$122

CO2

13 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Springdale, AR → XNA 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 6m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

FSM → Alma, AR 19m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $122) $122

Airports

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

Alma, AR FSM — Fort Smith Regional Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between XNA and FSM. 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	1h 4m	2h 43m
Total cost (1 person)	$47	$122
Carbon footprint	23 kg CO₂	13 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

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 Springdale, AR to Alma, AR with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.