Drive or Fly: Fayetteville, 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 186 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

3h 28m

Distance

186.8 mi

Total Cost

$76

CO2

75 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$41

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 51m

15m in the air

Air Distance

124 mi

Total Cost

$125

CO2

32 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fayetteville, AR → XNA 26m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 15m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

HOT → Hot Springs, AR 10m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $125) $125

Airports

Fayetteville, AR XNA — Northwest Arkansas National Airport 17 mi, ~26m 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 27m

3h 5m on road

Total Cost

$13

CO2

7 kg

Route

Greyhound US1148S

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fayetteville, AR → Van Buren/ Ft Smith Bus Depot (FSM6) 68m

Boarding 15m

Bus ride 185m

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 45 mi, ~68m 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 28m	2h 51m	5h 27m
Total cost (1 person)	$76	$125	$13
Carbon footprint	75 kg CO₂	32 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 21, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

186.8 mi 3h 28m

via AR 7, I 40; US 71, I 49

Shortest (+8 min)

183.8 mi 3h 37m

via US 71, US 270, I 49

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