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Drive or Fly: Bentonville, AR to North Little Rock, 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 210 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:
Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 38m

Distance

210.2 mi

Total Cost

$86

CO2

85 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$51
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 41m

19m in the air

Air Distance

155 mi

Total Cost

$181

CO2

40 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bentonville, AR → XNA 12m
Check-in & Security 90m
Flight 19m
Arrival & Baggage 30m
LIT → North Little Rock, AR 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $126) $126
Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Bentonville, AR XNA — Northwest Arkansas National Airport 8 mi, ~12m drive
North Little Rock, AR LIT — Bill & Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field 4 mi, ~10m 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 30m

3h 5m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

12 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Bentonville, AR → Van Buren/ Ft Smith Bus Depot (FSM6) 30m
Boarding 15m
Bus ride 185m
Arrival 10m
Bryant-Little Rock (Gassy's) (BRT6) → North Little Rock, AR 30m

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 0 mi, ~30m drive
To BRT6 — Bryant-Little Rock (Gassy's) 0 mi, ~30m drive

Service

Direct

Frequency

~10/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 10 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 38m 2h 41m 4h 30m
Total cost (1 person) $86 $181 $13
Carbon footprint 85 kg CO2 40 kg CO2 12 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 Oct 19, 2026.

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Bentonville, AR to North Little Rock, AR with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.