Drive or Fly: Fort Smith, AR to Tennessee, 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 FSM–GLH. At 246 miles, driving is the only practical option.

Passengers:

Vehicle:

Find Your Vehicle (EPA fuel economy data)

Drive

Door to Door

4h 25m

Distance

246.7 mi

Total Cost

$89

CO2

100 kg

Cost Breakdown

Diesel$54

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 49m

23m in the air

Air Distance

189 mi

Total Cost

$183

CO2

48 kg

Door-to-Door Timeline

Fort Smith, AR → FSM 10m

Check-in & Security 90m

Flight 23m

Arrival & Baggage 30m

GLH → Tennessee, AR 76m

Cost Breakdown

Ticket (1 pax @ $128) $128

Rental car (1 day)$55

Airports

Fort Smith, AR FSM — Fort Smith Regional Airport 4 mi, ~10m drive

Tennessee, AR GLH — Mid Delta Regional Airport 51 mi, ~76m drive

No scheduled flights found

No commercial flights between FSM and GLH. 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

At a Glance

	Drive	Fly
Door-to-door time	4h 25m	3h 49m
Total cost (1 person)	$89	$183
Carbon footprint	100 kg CO₂	48 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 19, 2026.

Route Options

2 different routes between these cities.

Fastest

246.7 mi 4h 24m

via US 71, I 530; US 65; US 167, AR 530

Alternative (+34 min)

248.8 mi 4h 58m

via US 270, US 71, AR 530

Decided to drive? See the full trip plan from Fort Smith, AR to Tennessee, AR with stops, fuel costs, and turn-by-turn directions.