Drive or Fly: St. Louis, MO to Billings, 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–SGF. At 234 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Drive

Door to Door

4h 26m

Distance

234.2 mi

Total Cost

$87

CO2

95 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$52

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 7m

25m in the air

Air Distance

212 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

54 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

St. Louis, MO → STL 19m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 25m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

SGF → Billings, MO 23m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

St. Louis, MO STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport 13 mi, ~19m drive

Billings, MO SGF — Springfield Branson National Airport 15 mi, ~23m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between STL and SGF. 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

5h 28m

4h 3m on road

Total Cost

$21

CO2

14 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

St. Louis, MO → St Louis Bus Station (SLD6) 30m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 243m

Arrival 10m

Springfield CU Transit Center (SPR6) → Billings, MO 30m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $21) $21

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

Stations

From SLD6 — St Louis Bus Station 0 mi, ~30m drive

To SPR6 — Springfield CU Transit Center 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~15/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

− Travel time longer than driving

− Need transportation to/from station

− Less flexibility than driving

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly	Bus
Door-to-door time	4h 26m	3h 7m	5h 28m
Total cost (1 person)	$87	$183	$21
Carbon footprint	95 kg CO₂	54 kg CO₂	14 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 St. Louis, MO to Billings, MO with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.