Drive or Fly: Springdale, AR to Hot Springs, 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–HOT. At 196 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

3h 40m

Distance

196.5 mi

Total Cost

$79

CO2

79 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$44

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 44m

16m in the air

Air Distance

131 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

33 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Springdale, AR → XNA 18m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 16m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HOT → Hot Springs, AR 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

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

Hot Springs, AR HOT — Memorial Field Airport 3 mi, ~10m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between XNA and HOT. 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

Bus

FlixBus

Door to Door

5h 25m

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) → Hot Springs, AR 49m

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) 33 mi, ~49m 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 40m	2h 44m	5h 25m
Total cost (1 person)	$79	$125	$13
Carbon footprint	79 kg CO₂	33 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 12, 2026.

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